"The government is opening the door for competitive football to return safely in June"

[@owlstalk]

 

The culture secretary Oliver Dowden came out of his meeting with the Football Association saying it was 'positive; with plans to resume progressing.

He also added that plans should "include widening access for fans to view live coverage and ensure finances from the game's resumption supports the wider football family".

 

In a statement, Dowden said: "Today's positive meeting I hosted with the football authorities progressed plans for the resumption of the professional game in England.

 

"We all agreed that we will only go ahead if it is safe to do so and the health and welfare of players, coaches and staff comes first.

 

"The government is opening the door for competitive football to return safely in June.

 

"This should include widening access for fans to view live coverage and ensure finances from the game's resumption supports the wider football family.

 

"It is now up to the football authorities to agree and finalise the detail of their plans, and there is combined goodwill to achieve this for their fans, the football community and the nation as a whole.

"The Government and our medical experts will continue to offer guidance and support to the game ahead of any final decision which would put these plans into action."
 

Professor Jonathan Van-Tam, deputy chief medical officer for England, confirmed that any return in England will have to be a ‘slow and measured’ approach.

 

He said: “The overall approach with easing social distancing has been one that has been tentative, measured, slow and stepwise, and that is exactly the plan that is under way for all of elite sport – not just football.
 

“There will be small, carefully measured, stepwise approaches to seeing what can be achieved safely.

 

“The first of those is, really, is to return to safe training, still observing social distancing and measures are taking place, plans are taking place in quite some depth to be ready to do that, and that will be a stepwise thing.

 

“We will have to see how that goes before it is time to move on or even think about moving on to the return of competitive football matches.”

[scram]

19 minutes ago, @owlstalk said:

"It is now up to the football authorities to agree and finalise the detail of their plans, and there is combined goodwill to achieve this for their fans, the football community and the nation as a whole.

 

 

Then the football authorities will say "It is now up to the football clubs to agree and finalise the detail of their plans"  

 

Nobody wants to put their name to a safe return to football

 

No wonder the Dr's and plenty of players are so unhappy

[Dronfield Blue]

9 minutes ago, scram said:

 

 

Then the football authorities will say "It is now up to the football clubs to agree and finalise the detail of their plans"  

 

Nobody wants to put their name to a safe return to football

 

No wonder the Dr's and plenty of players are so unhappy

 

It won't happen in June will it?

 

Fans will definitely be out until next year whenever the season re starts.

 

If the Prem restarts at neutral grounds, some fans will still travel.

 

Think Liverpool, this means more.

 

 

[DJMortimer]

18 minutes ago, scram said:

 

 

Then the football authorities will say "It is now up to the football clubs to agree and finalise the detail of their plans"  

 

Nobody wants to put their name to a safe return to football

 

No wonder the Dr's and plenty of players are so unhappy

 

Do you know how much of a willingness there is amongst large numbers of players to refuse to be involved? Many of them in the Premier League I assume have the financial security to have that as an option. And I wouldn't have thought that a militant stance would harm their career prospects in the long term in the same way as it might in other industries.

 

[lanzaroteowl]

It will be a logistical nightmare.

But the ridiculous amounts of money at stake will ensure every single avenue for returning will be explored. 

But just one single hiccup could scupper it all.

[fpowl]

I don’t think they have enough time to 

pass the plans 

put the measures in place 

get the players ready for competitive football

Arrange the fixtures and travel plans 

and play the fixtures 

all within a 6 week star and shortening 

No chance 

I’d say if it was a green light now it would take 8 week to start playing I’ve no real basis just assumption and I don’t know I’m guessing a bit down the line these preparations are to have started the conversation 

but less than 6 weeks to mobilise and play your first competitive game seems tight 

 

4 week uncompetitive pre- season? Then back in action maybe but they need to call it soon to get back playing for June 

[scram]

2 hours ago, DJMortimer said:

 

Do you know how much of a willingness there is amongst large numbers of players to refuse to be involved? Many of them in the Premier League I assume have the financial security to have that as an option. And I wouldn't have thought that a militant stance would harm their career prospects in the long term in the same way as it might in other industries.

 

 

 

I don't know how widespread the feeling is tbh - but it only takes a few...

 

It will only harm the careers of the players who aren't really fancied anyway

 

Football has no morals

[the third man]

8 minutes ago, scram said:

 

 

I don't know how widespread the feeling is tbh - but it only takes a few...

 

It will only harm the careers of the players who aren't really fancied anyway

 

Football has no morals

No clubs will sack players who are worth any money, so in this instance the players are in charge

[Dick_Turpin]

30 minutes ago, fpowl said:

I don’t think they have enough time to 

pass the plans 

put the measures in place 

get the players ready for competitive football

Arrange the fixtures and travel plans 

and play the fixtures 

all within a 6 week star and shortening 

No chance 

I’d say if it was a green light now it would take 8 week to start playing I’ve no real basis just assumption and I don’t know I’m guessing a bit down the line these preparations are to have started the conversation 

but less than 6 weeks to mobilise and play your first competitive game seems tight 

 

4 week uncompetitive pre- season? Then back in action maybe but they need to call it soon to get back playing for June 

 

The Bundesliga has set a template to follow. 

[the third man]

No agreement form the clubs in leagues 1 & 2 today

[the third man]

Looks its just league 1 clubs who haven't agreed anything

[Paul..]

government + safe = oxymoron.

 

[fpowl]

On 15/05/2020 at 15:49, rickygoo said:

 

The Bundesliga has set a template to follow. 

How long did it take them though genuine question don’t know 

 

it only seemed like a few weeks but the everybody must have know before surely it seems like we’ve just started to get the ball rolling 

[the third man]

1 hour ago, fpowl said:

How long did it take them though genuine question don’t know 

 

it only seemed like a few weeks but the everybody must have know before surely it seems like we’ve just started to get the ball rolling 

didn't they originally announce at the beginning of April that they planned to start around the beginning of May?

[areNOTwhatTHEYseem]

On 15/05/2020 at 15:49, rickygoo said:

The Bundesliga has set a template to follow. 

 

I agree - we absolutely should be following Germany's template.

 

By the time the Bundesliga resumed, Germany were reporting 620 new cases of coronavirus. The UK is currently reporting 3450 new cases.

 

Just like Germany did, we need to get the situation properly under control before we consider resuming football.