Statement from the EFL tonight. They've put together short term funding to help clubs manage in this period of inactivity and confirmed their primary aim is to finish the 19/20 season at the appropriate time. I'd imagine we'll get a similar statement from the PL tomorrow. It's positive that, at least publicly, they're not even talking about not ending this season although I'm sure privately they've got contingency plans in place for what might happen if worst comes to worst.
Football and the Coronavirus
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Soldato
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I'm really glad they will help out the lower league clubs, I live near Southend and would hate to see them go under because of this.
Who helps the teams outside of the 4 leagues?
Just for clarification, the short term funding is simply bringing forwards payments they were due to receive in April(?) and a small loan. It's not going to be enough to see them through the summer if we don't resume playing by then. As for non League clubs, I'd guess there's very little help for them beyond whatever help they can get from the government. If this season gets finished and the PL aren't having to write off as much as £1bn in revenue themselves then it would be very easy for the PL to provide a 6 month loan that would see the entire EFL and beyond get over this period.
Soldato
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So if they aren't playing by say end of May, a lot of clubs are going to be in trouble.
Speaking with the staff at the hospital tonight, they are all being prepared for this to get a lot worse.
Maybe the quicker virus test kits they speak about will allow for all players to be tested the day of a match.
Speaking with the staff at the hospital tonight, they are all being prepared for this to get a lot worse.
Maybe the quicker virus test kits they speak about will allow for all players to be tested the day of a match.
If not May then by August, certainly. As I said the money they've been given is just an advance on what they were due to receive anyway, to help them cover the loss of no matchday revenue at the moment. There's no more revenue (other than a trickle of commercial revenue) for EFL clubs after this until we start playing football again but they're still going to have to keep paying wages and general costs. The PL could provide them with a short term loan but, unfortunately, I cannot see them doing that without any certainty that it will be repaid and that certainty only comes with the completition of this season.
Joint statement from the PL, FA and EFL:
https://www.premierleague.com/news/1646728
https://www.premierleague.com/news/1646728
- Season postponed until at least April 30th.
- Still committed to completing the current season.
- FA have agreed to extend the June 1st limit to complete the season indefinitely.
Caporegime
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There must be a final date though. It can’t just be indefinite.
indefinitely
/ɪnˈdɛfɪnətli/
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adverb
- for an unlimited or unspecified period of time.
"talks cannot go on indefinitely"
There isn't a definite date, so it is by definition indefinite at this point.
It relies on too many external factors for them to state a date at this point in time.
Caporegime
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Transfer window will need adjusting too then. Can’t have bloody transfers during a title run in lol
This is probably the smallest issue and easiest to resolve. The transfer window is delayed until the end of the season and then runs 2 months from then, even if it overlaps into next season.
The single biggest obstacle preventing the League being finished will be UEFA. They will set a date when next seasons CL and EL begin and all domestic leagues will need to be settled by then, or at the very least you would need to decide on the European spots. Currently that date is June 30th however their statement the other day suggested that they can delay this if domestic Leagues aren't finished by then but by how long? UEFA have rearranged the Euros for June '21 and I can't see them delaying that again which means the remainder of this season and next season must be finished before then. If we assume there will be no changes to next season's calendar then I'd guess we've got until the end of July, maybe mid August to end our seasons/start the EL/CL however there's the potential for 1000 alterations to next season that could give League's and UEFA more time - scrapping domestic Cups, no winter breaks, having less or even no international friendlies during the season. Getting all the relevant organisations to agree on these things could prove difficult though.
The Athletic are reporting that PL clubs were told that they'd have to pay back over £760m in TV money if they don't complete this season so it's no wonder they're doing everything to complete it. The Telegraph are also reporting that it's been agreed that there won't be any more "null and void" talk and instead, if worst comes to worst and the season cannot be finished then it will be "curtailed" with almost certainly Liverpool being declared champions, in an attempt to protect themselves against claims from broadcasters. ESPN have gone further and said PL sources have said the League will be completed no matter what, with the possibility of shortening next season just to make sure this season is completed.
There is some logic to doing this but it seems a massive change to alter the entire European Footballing calendar forever because changing it back after the WC would be very tricky.My prediction is they'll time so that it aligns with the 2022 World Cup to be played in winter.
I can't speak for the rest of Europe but the Premier League will just do whatever makes them the most money and the Football League will have to follow suit, it could be that they planned to move it anyway if the NFL expands into the UK to the point where we have a team.