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

[Steve67]

Sorry Brian but I think the dignity went out of the window the minute the EFL started to talk seriously about football returning, whilst people are still losing their life and that needed to be finished by July 31st.  The dignity stopped when Brighton, Villa and now Watford spoke out with honesty and have been criticised for taking the health of their players, and the rules of the game seriously. Dignity was completely fucked when they tried to fudge that fact they they don't want to pay back the money to Sky/BT.  This remains a 'let's not piss Liverpool off' fuckfest.

[brian green]

Agree entirely Newby.  I could tear out my hair at the plight of the Beautiful Game.  It has taken this catstrophe to turn the stone over.  The grubs and worms writhing in a desperate attempt to find another stone to get under.  It reminds me of the famous Alan Partridge sketch when he has been told his show has been axed.  He has this brilliant new show he intends to create.  What is it? they ask.  Monkey Tennis.

[The Edge]

Agree entirely Newby.  I could tear out my hair at the plight of the Beautiful Game.  It has taken this catstrophe to turn the stone over.  The grubs and worms writhing in a desperate attempt to find another stone to get under.  It reminds me of the famous Alan Partridge sketch when he has been told his show has been axed.  He has this brilliant new show he intends to create.  What is it? they ask.  Monkey Tennis.

Excellent!!

[LeeB]

Agree entirely Newby.  I could tear out my hair at the plight of the Beautiful Game.  It has taken this catstrophe to turn the stone over.  The grubs and worms writhing in a desperate attempt to find another stone to get under.  It reminds me of the famous Alan Partridge sketch when he has been told his show has been axed.  He has this brilliant new show he intends to create.  What is it? they ask.  Monkey Tennis.

That was one of the better suggestions, the Premier League ideas are more "Youth Hostelling with Chris Eubank".

[frank black]

1..Voiding off the table it seems..

2...End season now, PPG etc and we are down

3...Project restart to commence and then fail...,PPG or Void?

The third of these looks like where we are headed.

[Jon Crofts]

A third Brighton player test positive for COVID-19. Restart my arse.

[aev]

1..Voiding off the table it seems..

2...End season now, PPG etc and we are down

3...Project restart to commence and then fail...,PPG or Void?

The third of these looks like where we are headed.

Why is it off the table?

I know there are stories suggesting this is the case, but I think these are being used as a threat. I can’t imagine for one moment any team relegated wouldn’t take legal action if they were relegated on PPG. Afterall, which PPG should be used?

It is the same with playing the league out under different parameters to how the rest of the league was played. Imagine being relegated as your squad was decimated by Corona quarantine measures.

Football playing on in these circumstances is morally grim, and from a sporting integrity perspective farcical.

Ending the season know is I think the cleanest solution. It would give the next season a chance to start with everyone aware of the potential changes in circumstances (crowds, squads, substitutions). If it meant larger leagues for a season or two, so be it.

[frank black]

1..Voiding off the table it seems..

2...End season now, PPG etc and we are down

3...Project restart to commence and then fail...,PPG or Void?

The third of these looks like where we are headed.

Why is it off the table?

I know there are stories suggesting this is the case, but I think these are being used as a threat. I can’t imagine for one moment any team relegated wouldn’t take legal action if they were relegated on PPG. Afterall, which PPG should be used?

It is the same with playing the league out under different parameters to how the rest of the league was played. Imagine being relegated as your squad was decimated by Corona quarantine measures.

Football playing on in these circumstances is morally grim, and from a sporting integrity perspective farcical.

Ending the season know is I think the cleanest solution. It would give the next season a chance to start with everyone aware of the potential changes in circumstances (crowds, squads, substitutions). If it meant larger leagues for a season or two, so be it.

Agreed but there appears to be 100% solidarity over getting the season done. Voiding will be on the table only during project restart IMO. If they end it now, I expect them to dish out the prizes and punishment. Then deal with the legal mess afterwards

[andyh]

Brighton today announce a 3rd player has tested positive for covid 19.

[wolfman999]

1..Voiding off the table it seems..

2...End season now, PPG etc and we are down

3...Project restart to commence and then fail...,PPG or Void?

The third of these looks like where we are headed.

Why is it off the table?

I know there are stories suggesting this is the case, but I think these are being used as a threat. I can’t imagine for one moment any team relegated wouldn’t take legal action if they were relegated on PPG. Afterall, which PPG should be used?

It is the same with playing the league out under different parameters to how the rest of the league was played. Imagine being relegated as your squad was decimated by Corona quarantine measures.

Football playing on in these circumstances is morally grim, and from a sporting integrity perspective farcical.

Ending the season know is I think the cleanest solution. It would give the next season a chance to start with everyone aware of the potential changes in circumstances (crowds, squads, substitutions). If it meant larger leagues for a season or two, so be it.

Agreed but there appears to be 100% solidarity over getting the season done. Voiding will be on the table only during project restart IMO. If they end it now, I expect them to dish out the prizes and punishment. Then deal with the legal mess afterwards

There is one reason and one reason only why they are determined to play out the season.

Money.

The Premier League would take an enormous hit with the TV companies home and abroad not willing to pay up for games that won't be played.

Add to the EPL making noises about the removal of parachute payments for relegated clubs adds up to a potential apocalypse for any clubs relegated. To add to that, they also face the prospect of their best players being snatched at bargain basement prices by parasites such as Man Ure etc.

[VinnieChase84]

Re:money and broadcasters. Allegedly the premier league haven’t even engaged sky/bt in this chat to even determine what the lay of the land would be!? Let alone looking to renegotiate terms.

Sky and BT need the league MORE than the league needs them now they have Amazon and Dazn waiting in the wings.

Logical thing is to get an understanding of any liabilities in full and look to re negotiate the existing contract terms for next ‘x’ years.
Surely to ‘pay back’ the broadcasters the clubs could just be on telly more next season but get no further cash from it to compensate for this season....!?

[curiousorange]

I'm resigned to this PPG thing, now more cases of players testing postive are popping up daily. For the unlucky three, which will include us, I think we need to drive a hard bargain, considering there's a quarter of our season left to play. So no FFP for us, and a financial inducement beyond parachute payments. If we've been ditched unfairly then we should get the best opportunity to redress the balance.

Or, y'know, void the whole thing, like a sensible organisation would do.

[aev]

Re:money and broadcasters. Allegedly the premier league haven’t even engaged sky/bt in this chat to even determine what the lay of the land would be!? Let alone looking to renegotiate terms.

Sky and BT need the league MORE than the league needs them now they have Amazon and Dazn waiting in the wings.

Logical thing is to get an understanding of any liabilities in full and look to re negotiate the existing contract terms for next ‘x’ years.
Surely to ‘pay back’ the broadcasters the clubs could just be on telly more next season but get no further cash from it to compensate for this season....!?

I think everything is (at the moment) spoken about in terms of playing and having relegations and promotion. Anything dissection from this is frowned upon. I guess the next stage would be the PL going to BT/SKY and saying we have tried everything but every solution has multiple issues.

[old man villa fan]

For the unlucky three, which will include us, I think we need to drive a hard bargain, considering there's a quarter of our season left to play. So no FFP for us, and a financial inducement beyond parachute payments. If we've been ditched unfairly then we should get the best opportunity to redress the balance.

I have been thinking about the financial inducement and have seen it mentioned in one newspaper article but you can start to see the dark side of this where clubs are paid money to accept results.

[Villan82]

Why are they determined not to scrap relegation? Relegation is the most severe punishment in football. It is way more consequential than who wins the league, qualifies for Europe etc.

I don't understand why a 22 team league for one season is such a bad idea? Why are we being punished so severely?

Yes, we were gash prior to the outbreak of the virus. But we only needed a few wins and we had 6 home games. What if we had a new manager lined up? Why are the authorities determined to go ahead with relegation?

Football won't recover from this mess unless it get's its act together and fast.