Most liked posts in thread: EFL Release Funds to Clubs

Its been interesting to see with the effects of this virus how the publics mindset has changed in terms of prioritising peoples roles in society. Folk who for too long have effectively been taken for granted are now looked at in a different light, whilst people who are only really there for supposed pleasure but paid vast sums for doing it are now bottom of the ladder. Its been amusing watching 'celebrities' on social media desperately trying to create some sort relevance to their now cancelled lives as people concentrate on what really important matters.

 

To say he has only been in post a few weeks and had this unprecedented situation thrust on him I think he is doing a great job

 

I might be wrong, Fordy, but I thought the payments made so far are simply an advance on the usual Solidarity Payments and the only other source of support is the promise of interest free loans up to a certain limit. If I'm wrong, apologies.
Don't expect the EFL to do much, although I think and trust Dave Baldwin will shake them up when he takes over as CEO in June but by then......who knows.
You are right about clubs already being squeezed, I've seen the comments on Birmingham this morning, we already have 60 redundancies at Barnet but this is across all professional sport. Northampton Saints RU have asked players to take 50% cut/deferral, Ralph Rimmer and others at the RFL are shouting loud for Govt. help and so on.

My own views and they are my own are these and I know colleagues at BCFC don't necessarily agree.
1. Think the season is becoming more likely to be abandoned unless all games are played behind closed doors but that still incurs cost which may not be recoverable. Lower Leagues are now stopping and I think this will work its way up the pyramid.
2. Financial help from PL. As Adrian Chiles said last week, "Good luck with that". They are unlikely to part with a penny and although it hasn't been said yet I think they are already in jeopardy with the loss of TV money. I think that is the reason Chris Wilder has changed his tune from extending the season to play now behind closed doors.
3. We are going to see carnage in the next month and a reshaping of our game/structure. My forecast is that up to 15 Clubs in the NL and Conf. North and South will go out of business. There will be many others below that level. In L1 and L2 I suspect as many as 10 will fail in one form or another and up to half those may not survive at all. In the Championship I suspect as many as 5 may be in Admin and not all will survive, one prime candidate for failure in my humble opinion, being Bolton.

In other sports Rugby League as we have known it will collapse and pay the price for its obsession with promoting money drainers like Toronto.
Sorry to be gloomy in this bad time but that's how I see it but I do see being back at VP at some point.

 

I think they are well aware of the situation. But at some stage the country will emerge from this and in the interest of fairness they want to finish this season before moving on

 

To

tally agree, Dennis. Hope Im wrong but predict carnage unless these people get real.

 

The scenes of people in supermarkets caring only for themselves is ironically the same scenario with the very organisations you mentioned, bleeding the public dry for every penny they can get for their wealthy share holders yet doing nothing in return to help the unfortunate souls at the bottom of the ladder. This virus has shown a lot of peoples true colours, something that should be kept in mind when order is restored a few months down the line.

 

"The EFL has stressed its commitment to finishing the 2019-20 season "in order to protect competition integrity."

Seems like they have not yet grasped the seriousness of the situation....

 

Very pleased to read about clubs loyalty to
employees.

 

The pubs etc haven't been shut because the government is phasing its restrictions. Look at the panic that's already ensued - can you imagine the response if the immediate action had been to shut everything?

These are completely unprecedented times,. Globally. There's no way Force Majeure WON'T apply, or at the very least, courts won't enforce the contracts that do apply under the circumstances. The companies involved in football will piss and moan all they want, because its a cottage industry that has no sense of wider reality, but the fact is that this crisis is SO much bigger than football. Football doesn't even come into it. Overnight, its been relegated to an inconsequential thing.

And its glib to think that football will come back but behind closed doors. Why should it? Why should those in all aspects of the game be put at risk? And if the government wants to continue pushing a hard message around social restriction, they can't be seen to be soft and allow sports to resume, because what else then becomes allowed? And one of the biggest factors in people socializing in numbers - is to watch sports! if not in the ground, then in pubs, and if not pubs, in peoples private residences or public gatherings.

The leagues can be as keen as they want to conclude the season, but they have NO control over this thing. And the legalities of sponsorships and TV deals will mean bugger all in the grand scheme. No one will have sympathy, because whether its 3 months or 2 years, the big money leagues will survive just fine.

Time will tell what pans out, but if we're looking at a situation whereby football can't be played for nearly a year, that will force a change in thinking in terms of the approach.

 

The leagues and UEFA/FIFA will make decision based on one thing only and that is financial. Whatever they do will upset some people and they will get legal advice on which option will cost them least with either pay outs or legal challenges. If they void this season then Liverpool will probably sue, Leeds and the others pushing for promotion as well, Sky/BT will sue. If they just end it now those relegated will sue, those that miss out on Europe, those that miss out on promotion will sue, Sky/BT will sue. If they curtail next season by shortening or removing cups then the Tv companies will sue.

In all these circumstances Sky/BT will be looking for compensation or reduced payments. Only way to stop clubs sueing will be to complete this season and then reduce next season somehow.

 

As Arrigo Sacchi once said "Football is the most important of the unimportant things in life".

 

I agree. A very impressive public speaker. I actually think Boris is doing a good job in hugely difficult circumstances

 

There is no easy answer here but if we were in say Swindon’s position it would be devastating to miss out on what they deserve. One thing for sure there is trouble ahead

 

Yeah that’s a start should help. EFL will have the problem to decide if they will be scrapping the season or the completion of the fixtures.

 

But the top six clubs in the Championship want to finish the season..... No Shit Sherlock.

 

Agree Park maybe early June when over 70s isolation is over just can't start again without Bronco

 

Today's Yorkshire Post saying NL and Conf North and South need £20 mill so this is a drop in the ocean and won't save a number of lower clubs given the skewed distribution engineered and bull dossed through by Richmond.