Poll: Complete the season at neutral venues behind closed doors

[witchdoc187]

Ridiculous idea. If you really really have to finish the season just start it in march next year if it's safe to do so. what is the point?

 

[Khalekan]

Daft idea.

If was can’t have fans at games then just pack it in.

They might as well do what the Grand Natuonal dud and have “virtual matches”.

And I would have no interest in that either.

 

[tommytowne]

It's a no from me also.
I'll go a step further by saying that if games are played behind closed doors, there will be a template in place for those advocating similar action be taken in the future for less serious reasons, a disciplinary maybe.

 

[chrismpw]

Where is the 'absolutely no not 7under ant circumstances ' option? No just isn't no enough.

Fixtures, home advantage, the 12th man .... would make the entire season unfair and invalid.

 

[Lanolin]

It's pretty reasonable to play games without crowds once testing is at the right point. I think Germany will prove that.

I'm not sure people are properly weighing the consequences of not playing until 2021, which to me is the earliest crowds will be back. Even responsibly run entities won't be able to survive 9 months of no revenue. There will barely be enough clubs to have a league.

Until you're trying to explain to a load of teenagers why it's OK for the PL players to play football, but not for them. At that point they completely ignore you and go and play in the park and we get a second wave of infections. That might seem reasonable to you, but I think i'll disagree.

 

[Dubai Blue]

It is - like every other scenario i've seen mooted to finish the season - an utterly preposterous idea. Just call it off. Void it, do what they did in Holland, whatever. Trying to restart or relegate/promote sides based on PPG just don't work.

The Athletic did a good article about why PPG is a terrible measure. If you've got an easier run in than the teams around you, you're at a disadvantage since your PPG is skewed negatively from playing the objectively more difficult fixtures earlier in the season.

 

[TheBigIguana]

The spectacle will be horrendous.

Plus its completely reckless to allow football while everyone else is told to socially distance. Testing doesn't create immunity. You could easily be tested then contract it later. And being in a stadium with 3 or 400 others is very high risk I'd have thought.

That's why it shouldn't happen now. But as the restrictions are lifted it will be possibly to have 100 people together while still not smart to have 40000.

 

[TheBigIguana]

Until you're trying to explain to a load of teenagers why it's OK for the PL players to play football, but not for them. At that point they completely ignore you and go and play in the park and we get a second wave of infections. That might seem reasonable to you, but I think i'll disagree.

I wouldn't do it until we're at a point that gatherings up to about 50-100 people are ok again, so I think we're kind of on the same page.

But waiting until getting 40000 people can get together to play again would be disastrous for the sport as it is structured right now.

 

[ToffeeTim]

That's why it shouldn't happen now. But as the restrictions are lifted it will be possibly to have 100 people together while still not smart to have 40000.

I get all that.

But everything I've read and heard seems to suggest there would be far more than 100 people needing to be in attendance for a closed doors game. I've heard anything from 300 to 600 mentioned. That's a lot tbh - no chance they allow 300 people into a bar or the like any time soon.

 

[bcblue1878]

It’s literally because of those cryarses across the park, if City, Spurs, Leicester or anyone else were that far ahead they’d have ended it long before now

This whole thing is bloody ridiculous, and not just here either, look at what’s happening in Scotland, Rangers are embarrassing themselves daily about some weird conspiracy theory they have about corruption in the SPFL, even though they had the gall to ask for prize money early AND still complete the season as well as ripping up their own pitch for refurb

It does make you wonder whether the powers that be are trying to engineer/manufacture a scenario were that shower win enough points quickly enough that the plug can the be pulled on the whole ludicrous idea, because they would then have have “their” champions to fawn over and everything else gets decided on a points per game basis?
The likes of Villa, Bournemouth, West Ham etc wouldn’t be happy but the press and media would have the “champions” they crave so badly and are so desperate to see “crowned”!

 

[TheBigIguana]

I get all that.

But everything I've read and heard seems to suggest there would be far more than 100 people needing to be in attendance for a closed doors game. I've heard anything from 300 to 600 mentioned. That's a lot tbh - no chance they allow 300 people into a bar or the like any time soon.

I think they're going to need to make concessions. Whether that means reducing the staff down for each team, cutting the production to a few cameras, having announcers do it remotely or whatever else, they surely can figure out a way to reduce a 300 number down for something that by my math only really needs to have about 50-70 to make happen.

 

[Death]

Social distancing is expected to be in place for the rest of this year (or at least until a vaccine is approved).

So how can competitive football be played while social distancing is in place? Tackling would have to be banned, everyone stood 2 metres from each other at corners (like us under Silva then!) and then you’ve got the issue of players clearing their throats; the games will be played in the summer months so likely to be played in 20 degree plus temperatures which would mean players sweating far more.

I just don’t see how it’s practical

It’ll be Martinez all over again.

 

[ClausThomsen]

If they'll allow me to visit small groups of friends and family then I'll have no qualms with it.
If they'll allow me to visit my local pub and be in there among the other customers and staff then I'll have no qualms with it.
If they let me go to the cinema and sit in a large screening room with half a dozen other people I'll have no qualms with it.

They would involve less risk of direct and close contact with less people from a much smaller geographical area than the players, staff, organisers, TV crews and others that would be involved at multiple matches at multiple venues.

Until then I can't see how it's in anyway fair. Football isn't more important than seeing my family & friends so why should it get a pass?

 

[Tubey]

Amazed that poll isn't 95%+ no.

We have some proper idiots in our fanbase.

EDIT: Oh, nevermind.

 

[Joeharper07]

Looking around you can see all sport is planning on coming back in the next few months behind closed doors and Social distancing will be hard to adhere to in the vast majority of them . The rules will be relaxed in the next month or so as the lockdown eases and the one thing all sports probably need now is money , if we have to wait to be able to see competitive sport resumed with crowds over 500 then we are gonna be waiting until a vaccine and that will kill off huge swathes of top level sport and all the associated businesses that go with