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

[Legion]

I'm strongly in favour of any solution that benefits us. Fuck fairness and if that fucks the Albion in the process, even better.

Void the league.

Perfectly acceptable solution. Everyone's a winner.

[Chico Hamilton III]

"It is only on here that we have the blinkered obsession with voiding it because of our own interests"

"It’s only the bottom few teams who want the season voided"

Can't do quotes very well, but which one is it?

[Brassneck]

I'm strongly in favour of any solution that benefits us. Fuck fairness and if that fucks the Albion in the process, even better.

Void the league.

Me too but it’s bordering on the moronic to suggest it’s the only solution.

[chrisw1]

It is only on here that we have the blinkered obsession with voiding it because of our own interests.

Villa fans on a Villa fan site putting Villa's interests first. Not entirely sure what else you would expect to find on here.

And I don't believe you anyway, when you say it's only on here.

I think he's mostly right.  I've looked on a few other forums and very few are awash with rightous posts about voiding the season for player safety being the only way forward.

[aev]

We don't agree on this issue Chris as well you know; i love my football as much as the next person but it simply isn't important at the moment. Until it is safe for all concerned don't play - certainly not behind closed doors, which is a souless travesty of what the game should be.

You say you love your football yet you don't want to give clubs the lifeline that is needed for many to survive.

You'd rather clubs go to the wall, destroying the English leagues as we've known them just because the way to survival is (in your opinion) "a souless travesty of what the game should be"?

There are plenty of people that think that football should have been cancelled, and the season voided (it was the most popular choice in a BBC poll). Of course, this may have been influenced by vested interest, but you only have to read the above from Gary Neville to see what a predicament football finds itself in.

This is affecting all sports - many of the larger cricketing counties have undertaken massive stadium reinvestment recently and they will also be struggling.

The crazy thing is that football is so awash with money, and yet it seems hocked the hilt.

I have looked over many quotes from fans of other clubs.  The vast majority want the season to play out.  It is only on here that we have the blinkered obsession with voiding it because of our own interests.

I too want the season to be voided for obvious reasons but I try to look at if from all angles.  It is not about greed or financial gain - It is about survival.  In our case, we made a record loss last season and have spent most, if not all our TV money this season on transfers and wages.  Can you imagine how much we're hemorrhaging each week?  Do you really think we are "awash with money"?  What about Burnley?  Southampton? Brighton? and at least half of the other PL teams?  Do you think they can continue paying out multi millions in wages each week with no income?

We don't know if it is possible to finish the season at this stage (although it looks less and less likely).  Until we know for definite one way or the other, we can't possibly arrive at a decision and it is right to keep all options open.

PL football is awash with money. I didn't say we were, but our owners are certainly extremely wealthy. The reason we were purchased was presumably so they could make some more.

What I find difficult is the intransigence of football. Look at some of the PL clubs furloughing non playing staff, and the difficulty of getting playing staff to agree to deferrals (not even cuts to wages). Friends of mine have been furloughed, and they are taking a wages cut effectively, they aren't being deferred.

It’s only the bottom few teams who want the season voided.  Teams with nothing to play for would prefer to carry on, as would teams with a chance of winning something.

H&V would be no different if we were in the position of Leeds or Liverpool or even Sheffield United.  There’s no moral high ground here and you’re kidding yourself if you think there is.  You will be suggesting Newcastle fans are bothered who owns their club next.

So you are telling me what I think now?

[Brassneck]

Sorry that reply was aimed at Drummond

[Drummond]

It is only on here that we have the blinkered obsession with voiding it because of our own interests.

Villa fans on a Villa fan site putting Villa's interests first. Not entirely sure what else you would expect to find on here.

And I don't believe you anyway, when you say it's only on here.

I think he's mostly right.  I've looked on a few other forums and very few are awash with rightous posts about voiding the season for player safety being the only way forward.

So some are?

And presumably, as you've said 'for player safety' there are others who want to do it for other reasons?

[phantom limb]

Every Man U fan in the entire world wants the season voided, it’s certainly not just us.

[Chico Hamilton III]

Every Man U fan in the entire world wants the season voided, it’s certainly not just us.

And Liverpool fans only want the season to continue so that Burnley and Southampton don't go belly up.

It's just posters on here who are putting their club's self interest first, I'm told

[Drummond]

We don't agree on this issue Chris as well you know; i love my football as much as the next person but it simply isn't important at the moment. Until it is safe for all concerned don't play - certainly not behind closed doors, which is a souless travesty of what the game should be.

You say you love your football yet you don't want to give clubs the lifeline that is needed for many to survive.

You'd rather clubs go to the wall, destroying the English leagues as we've known them just because the way to survival is (in your opinion) "a souless travesty of what the game should be"?

There are plenty of people that think that football should have been cancelled, and the season voided (it was the most popular choice in a BBC poll). Of course, this may have been influenced by vested interest, but you only have to read the above from Gary Neville to see what a predicament football finds itself in.

This is affecting all sports - many of the larger cricketing counties have undertaken massive stadium reinvestment recently and they will also be struggling.

The crazy thing is that football is so awash with money, and yet it seems hocked the hilt.

I have looked over many quotes from fans of other clubs.  The vast majority want the season to play out.  It is only on here that we have the blinkered obsession with voiding it because of our own interests.

I too want the season to be voided for obvious reasons but I try to look at if from all angles.  It is not about greed or financial gain - It is about survival.  In our case, we made a record loss last season and have spent most, if not all our TV money this season on transfers and wages.  Can you imagine how much we're hemorrhaging each week?  Do you really think we are "awash with money"?  What about Burnley?  Southampton? Brighton? and at least half of the other PL teams?  Do you think they can continue paying out multi millions in wages each week with no income?

We don't know if it is possible to finish the season at this stage (although it looks less and less likely).  Until we know for definite one way or the other, we can't possibly arrive at a decision and it is right to keep all options open.

PL football is awash with money. I didn't say we were, but our owners are certainly extremely wealthy. The reason we were purchased was presumably so they could make some more.

What I find difficult is the intransigence of football. Look at some of the PL clubs furloughing non playing staff, and the difficulty of getting playing staff to agree to deferrals (not even cuts to wages). Friends of mine have been furloughed, and they are taking a wages cut effectively, they aren't being deferred.

It’s only the bottom few teams who want the season voided.  Teams with nothing to play for would prefer to carry on, as would teams with a chance of winning something.

H&V would be no different if we were in the position of Leeds or Liverpool or even Sheffield United.  There’s no moral high ground here and you’re kidding yourself if you think there is.  You will be suggesting Newcastle fans are bothered who owns their club next.

So the teams who the outcomes don't matter for don't care or are happy because they won't get relegated? There's a surprise.

I've not mentioned moral high ground. If I was a Liverpool fan, I'd be absolutely furious if I thought the first title in 30 years was going to be denied on a technicality. As for Leeds, well they're always unhappy about something but they certainly weren't in any sort of unassailable position;  weren't they worse off than last year at this time? As for Sheffield United, their fans are generally just really happy that they've done ok, it wasn't that long ago that they were still asking if they were safe, such is their history of snatching despair from the jaws of jubilation.

It affects everyone differently. If we go down because they decide the standings should remain I'll be disappointed but I'll get over it. However, that doesn't seem like the fairest option to me.

As for Newcastle, thanks for trying to think for me and put words in my mouth.

[chrisw1]

Drummond

I think the point he is making is that so many peole on here think trying to finish the season is a terrible crime, shows the PL is only concerned about money, the game is eating itself, that they are putting players at terrible risk etc etc. 

These sentiments aren't generally being expressed on a lot of other football forums.  The obviousl conclusion is that some (not all) are using moral outrage as a way of supporting the most favourable solution for us.  The liklihood is that if we were in Leeds position there would be a lot less accustations of greed etc etc.

[aev]

Drummond

I think the point he is making is that so many peole on here think trying to finish the season is a terrible crime, shows the PL is only concerned about money, the game is eating itself, that they are putting players at terrible risk etc etc. 

These sentiments aren't generally being expressed on a lot of other football forums.  The obviousl conclusion is that some (not all) are using moral outrage as a way of supporting the most favourable solution for us.  The liklihood is that if we were in Leeds position there would be a lot less accustations of greed etc etc.

Did you read the Gary Neville article on the Sky website today?

We know he is fond of Villa, but I am not sure he is a fan.

[paul_e]

Mate, it's going to be voided.

I agree. Nothing else seems feasible. However when we finally do get to restart i'd like to see all clubs start with the points they achieved from the voided season. There would be some crazily high points totals but the records could show this. I can't stand Liverpool but they have earned their 25 point lead which should pretty much guarantee them the title. And i'm totally against playing behind closed doors. Just waiting until the time is right and picking up where we left off is the fairest solution.

As much as I hate to say it I feel sorry for Liverpool but if the season is voided it's done, nothing carries over, anything like you suggest causes far too many problems. At the very simplest measure the entire league concept relies on playing each team home and away, anything which alters that is a fundamental undermining of the whole thing. This is why I also think the 'hub' idea is a non-starter and why anything that see the league finished on paper, or ended now, can't be the option they choose.

Playing out the remainder of games in as close to normal conditions as possible is the only feasible solution. If that means games behind closed doors then I can accept that, but only if it's safe to do and the games are finished by the end of June. As I don't think those last 2 are possible I think voiding the season with nothing carrying over is the only reasonable solution.

I also agree that if the season starts behind closed doors then it needs to play out entirely as such.

Oh and Brassneck, this has fuck all to do with the position Villa are in, it's to do with the integrity of the league and avoiding the fallout from this season having an impact on the entire football calendar for years. If all the games are played out in reasonably normal conditions then great but giving out promotion, relegation and trophies on any other basis is clearly flawed and would obviously lead to legal challenges and doing far more damage to the league and game than simply putting a line under it and starting again when it's safe.

[David_Nab]

We don't agree on this issue Chris as well you know; i love my football as much as the next person but it simply isn't important at the moment. Until it is safe for all concerned don't play - certainly not behind closed doors, which is a souless travesty of what the game should be.

You say you love your football yet you don't want to give clubs the lifeline that is needed for many to survive.

You'd rather clubs go to the wall, destroying the English leagues as we've known them just because the way to survival is (in your opinion) "a souless travesty of what the game should be"?

There are plenty of people that think that football should have been cancelled, and the season voided (it was the most popular choice in a BBC poll). Of course, this may have been influenced by vested interest, but you only have to read the above from Gary Neville to see what a predicament football finds itself in.

This is affecting all sports - many of the larger cricketing counties have undertaken massive stadium reinvestment recently and they will also be struggling.

The crazy thing is that football is so awash with money, and yet it seems hocked the hilt.

I have looked over many quotes from fans of other clubs.  The vast majority want the season to play out.  It is only on here that we have the blinkered obsession with voiding it because of our own interests.

I too want the season to be voided for obvious reasons but I try to look at if from all angles.  It is not about greed or financial gain - It is about survival.  In our case, we made a record loss last season and have spent most, if not all our TV money this season on transfers and wages.  Can you imagine how much we're hemorrhaging each week?  Do you really think we are "awash with money"?  What about Burnley?  Southampton? Brighton? and at least half of the other PL teams?  Do you think they can continue paying out multi millions in wages each week with no income?

We don't know if it is possible to finish the season at this stage (although it looks less and less likely).  Until we know for definite one way or the other, we can't possibly arrive at a decision and it is right to keep all options open.

PL football is awash with money. I didn't say we were, but our owners are certainly extremely wealthy. The reason we were purchased was presumably so they could make some more.

What I find difficult is the intransigence of football. Look at some of the PL clubs furloughing non playing staff, and the difficulty of getting playing staff to agree to deferrals (not even cuts to wages). Friends of mine have been furloughed, and they are taking a wages cut effectively, they aren't being deferred.

It’s only the bottom few teams who want the season voided.  Teams with nothing to play for would prefer to carry on, as would teams with a chance of winning something.

H&V would be no different if we were in the position of Leeds or Liverpool or even Sheffield United.  There’s no moral high ground here and you’re kidding yourself if you think there is.  You will be suggesting Newcastle fans are bothered who owns their club next.

So the teams who the outcomes don't matter for don't care or are happy because they won't get relegated? There's a surprise.

I've not mentioned moral high ground. If I was a Liverpool fan, I'd be absolutely furious if I thought the first title in 30 years was going to be denied on a technicality. As for Leeds, well they're always unhappy about something but they certainly weren't in any sort of unassailable position;  weren't they worse off than last year at this time? As for Sheffield United, their fans are generally just really happy that they've done ok, it wasn't that long ago that they were still asking if they were safe, such is their history of snatching despair from the jaws of jubilation.

It affects everyone differently. If we go down because they decide the standings should remain I'll be disappointed but I'll get over it. However, that doesn't seem like the fairest option to me.

As for Newcastle, thanks for trying to think for me and put words in my mouth.

Exactly , teams with nothing to play for won't care what happens they have nothing to lose or gain league wise but they can tick the box to say they played and get the TV cash.

Here is the Spanish leagues plans starting with a month prep of staggered training before players in a team sport can actually train together ..
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/apr/23/la-liga-plan-to-restart-season-daily-covid-19-tests-training-isolation?CMP=share_btn_tw

FIW if I was in Leeds position I'd be happy to go up in an expanded PL

[Richard E]

If I was a Liverpool fan, I'd be full of self loathing.