How much will Coronavirus (COVID-19) impact Aston Villa's season?

[aev]

I spoke to my pal at the FA last night.
They are still keen for the season to finish, including the FA cup itself, apparently all clubs in the PL favour the 'play to a conclusion' whenever that is. The PL are planning on a June 6th start, finishing early August.
There would be a dedicated team of medical, player care, kit people, and a team of officials at each 'festival'. He did accept my point that if one person in that team or group of players contracts CV-19, then it puts the stop on everything.

He did suggest that potentially games may be played behind closed doors into December / January.
There is a potential issue surrounding policing and gathering outside of grounds, with people watching on phones and tablets, ala PSG.

It seems that the government are in favour of sport restarting asap, in order to placate the masses as they expect people to start ignoring the lockdown in the next few weeks.

Player contracts are a massive concern, but haven't been discussed at the FA. He admits players won't be loyal (why would they be) and that pay per week was going to be impossible for players to accept.

A final funny point, Liverpools deal with NB runs out at the end of June/early July, whereby they switch to Nike. So they may at some stage lift the trophy wearing a different manufacturer than they started. Who pays their win bonus? And how pissed off might NB be?

Anymore news, and I'll  let you know.

One of the things I read this morning regarding exiting the lockdown suggested that those over 70 may still be locked down for ages yet.

If this is the case, what do Crystal Palace do about Roy Hodgson?

[Risso]

I spoke to my pal at the FA last night.
They are still keen for the season to finish, including the FA cup itself, apparently all clubs in the PL favour the 'play to a conclusion' whenever that is. The PL are planning on a June 6th start, finishing early August.
There would be a dedicated team of medical, player care, kit people, and a team of officials at each 'festival'. He did accept my point that if one person in that team or group of players contracts CV-19, then it puts the stop on everything.

He did suggest that potentially games may be played behind closed doors into December / January.
There is a potential issue surrounding policing and gathering outside of grounds, with people watching on phones and tablets, ala PSG.

It seems that the government are in favour of sport restarting asap, in order to placate the masses as they expect people to start ignoring the lockdown in the next few weeks.

Player contracts are a massive concern, but haven't been discussed at the FA. He admits players won't be loyal (why would they be) and that pay per week was going to be impossible for players to accept.

A final funny point, Liverpools deal with NB runs out at the end of June/early July, whereby they switch to Nike. So they may at some stage lift the trophy wearing a different manufacturer than they started. Who pays their win bonus? And how pissed off might NB be?

Anymore news, and I'll  let you know.

One of the things I read this morning regarding exiting the lockdown suggested that those over 70 may still be locked down for ages yet.

If this is the case, what do Crystal Palace do about Roy Hodgson?

February just called, it wants its question back!

[eamonn]

Keep him in quarantine til the new season. Palace have nowt to play for anyway.

[mr underhill]

the sound of those fiddles screeching whilst the EPL edifice burns are deafening.

[David_Nab]

Ever been following a TV series that get's to its concluding season and falls apart , you have invested years watching it so you go through the motions to finish it. Watch it in the background whilst online just taking it in enough to follow whats going on ..

That's this football season , I don't think the clubs really want to play , nor do the players but stuck with huge TV deals they don't have much of a choice it seems.

The point on Liverpools fans tuning up is a good one and goes for us , if we need a game to win to stay up I'm sure fans will congregate outside the ground.Void is not legitimate they say but no fans , perhaps neutral venues , change of rules ( No Var / New handball rule > not handball if its on the shirt line level) extra subs , weakened teams ..and even with all the testing if just one player is effected in a team does that bring down the whole league ?

[Lastfootstamper]

As Henry Winter asked this morning, how come football reckons it'll be able to get hold of all these tests ahead of others that'd like one, just in order to get a game on?

[aev]

As Henry Winter asked this morning, how come football reckons it'll be able to get hold of all these tests ahead of others that'd like one, just in order to get a game on?

Most of the sports journalists have as much of a vested interested as we do as fans. No football, nothing to write about. Henry Winter is behind a firewall so I haven’t  read what he has said, but from tweets in the past he (and others) haven’t been asking the most obvious question which is why does football think it can operate in a way different to every other industry?

[dave.woodhall]

As Henry Winter asked this morning, how come football reckons it'll be able to get hold of all these tests ahead of others that'd like one, just in order to get a game on?

Most of the sports journalists have as much of a vested interested as we do as fans. No football, nothing to write about. Henry Winter is behind a firewall so I have read what he has said, but from tweets in the past he (and others) haven’t been asking the most obvious question which is why does football think it can operate in a way different to every other industry?

It always does. Everyday rules don't apply to football.

[Lastfootstamper]

As Henry Winter asked this morning, how come football reckons it'll be able to get hold of all these tests ahead of others that'd like one, just in order to get a game on?

Most of the sports journalists have as much of a vested interested as we do as fans. No football, nothing to write about. Henry Winter is behind a firewall so I haven’t  read what he has said, but from tweets in the past he (and others) haven’t been asking the most obvious question which is why does football think it can operate in a way different to every other industry?

He was on the Today programme's sport segment this morning. I'm not paying to read something when I can get 'the real truth' on Facebook for nothing!

[olaftab]

Thanks for the info Rotterdam. Nothing will go ahead unless it falls into a government exit phase as anything else will be outside the law and there will be no valid insurance cover.

[andyh]

Thanks for the info Rotterdam. Nothing will go ahead unless it falls into a government exit phase as anything else will be outside the law and there will be no valid insurance cover.

Absolutely right Aftab.

As I have said before, football restarting is not footballs decision.

[CT Villan]

Given that the swab tests have been accused of being wildly inaccurate and producing many false-positives and the incubation period of covid can be up to 24 days during which time the virus can shed, do the footballing powers-that-be have a crystal ball to predict which players or support staff will carry the virus and potentially infect everyone they come into contact with ? Plus, unless they do a serology test there is no way of knowing whether the corona virus infection was recent or old. So that's blood tests every day for all involved !

Seems way more logical to just void the 19/20 season and start again whens the dust settles. Sadly, I think the decision will centre on money, not health.

[frank black]

Given that the swab tests have been accused of being wildly inaccurate and producing many false-positives and the incubation period of covid can be up to 24 days during which time the virus can shed, do the footballing powers-that-be have a crystal ball to predict which players or support staff will carry the virus and potentially infect everyone they come into contact with ? Plus, unless they do a serology test there is no way of knowing whether the corona virus infection was recent or old. So that's blood tests every day for all involved !

Seems way more logical to just void the 19/20 season and start again whens the dust settles. Sadly, I think the decision will centre on money, not health.

It’s the other way around. The swab tests are the ones that go to the labs and are accurate. The blood pin prick tests which give an instant result are the one that test for antibodies, these are vital for the masses and these do not work (yet)

[Rotterdam]

Thanks for the info Rotterdam. Nothing will go ahead unless it falls into a government exit phase as anything else will be outside the law and there will be no valid insurance cover.

Absolutely right Aftab.

As I have said before, football restarting is not footballs decision.

My pal made he above point about it not really being the PL or EFLs decision. He also said that all parties are 'keen to be seen to be trying' to get the season finished.

[Pete3206]

Delusions of grandeur abound in the football governing circles. There is precisely zero chance of the football season resuming safely for months and months.

Void it or finish it as it is. There are no other choices that won't potentially result in more infection and death.