Why the hotel lockdown EPL Play-off proposal would be unethical

With the world in lockdown, including the JustArsenal Admins, people are filling their time by coming up with ideas how to get football to resume in the quickest yet safest way. Trust me owners will be doing the same as they remain determined to get the season finished.

Yet like the government might take any decisions out of their hands, I think they would squash the latest rumoured proposal. In fact, if I had to make a sport prediction right now, I would bet that we won’t see football in any form for at least another two months, or maybe even longer..

Apparently, the Premier League think a solution could be that the EPL squads are isolated together in hotels, and not returning to their families until all the fixtures are completed. Essentially that’s what happens every two years anyway. If you’re successful at say a World Cup, you could spend 6 weeks on the other side of the world away from your loved ones.

Some would have been doing that in the Euros anyway, so you’re just swapping what you would be doing with your international side and doing it with your club instead.

All involved seem to have accepted games will have to be behind closed doors, but are willing to sacrifice match day revenue if it means fulfilling contractual obligations to TV companies and sponsors.

But the belief is that keeping squads only in contact with each other, with regular health checks, would mean the campaign could be squeezed into a month.

There’s even talk of using neutral venues, where in theory 3 games could happen in one stadium throughout the day, like the Emirates Cup. Hence you’re not taking a risk of, say Newcastle travelling the length of the country to Bournemouth or Brighton…

Yet you wouldn’t just be asking 22 players to ignore self-distancing. It takes a huge team behind the scenes to put together an ordinary matchday even without supporters. Some clubs hire staff in double figures. You can’t ask assistant coaches to stay away.

How many refs and assistants do you need? Each game still has VAR,so how many personnel does that take up? How much are you paying coach drivers to sacrifice themselves? You would still need to hire security to make sure players are safe entering and leaving grounds?

Don’t be naive to think a ban on fans means no police needed. Gatherings outside stadiums would be a possibility specially to celebrate Liverpool winning the title or an Aston Villa staying up? Officers would have to break those groups up.

Any ball boys and girls? Or does Mustafi get the ball each time?

Who do you think unlocks a ground? It’s not like you give Jurgen Klopp some keys and say just leave them in reception once you’re finished.

What about Sky and BT and the other worldwide broadcasters? The reason everyone wants to find a compromise is to appease them. They will want certain number of cameras for their live content.

In all seriousness Boris Johnson couldn’t criticise the public for public gatherings then be seen to be changing the rules for those who make money. It’s zero tolerance. Either it’s too dangerous to be in a person’s personal space or it isn’t? It‘s not a case of ‘it’s risky but it’s worth the chance’ if it helps the economy.

Worse (and this is why I can’t see it happening), on the one hand we rightly are clapping the NHS workers for going above and beyond when they are already stretched, yet we would then take away some of their resources for the sake of sport? It’s a legal requirement for any match to have a hospital and medical staff on hand. Try telling a patient they can’t be seen, or a nurse asked to do overtime, yet football is carrying on?

It’s unethical, morally wrong and there would be too much of a backlash. If one person got ill because of this idea that’s one too many.

Can You Think Of Any Creative Ways You Would End The Season?

9 Comments

  1. Dan the league should be cancelled and that’s it #lifeovermoney! People are now worried that the TV will lose 😳 look how much they charge to see their stations that brings the game. Year after year fans cursing owners and asking where did the money go now everyone becomes concerned and sympathetic.
    What is so wrong with keeping Aubameyang for at least 2 more years and see if Martinelli or Eddie will step up to the plate. I say leave our strickers alone we have enough competition and variable in age.

  2. They have to avoid damaging two seasons.
    If they leave restarting this season too late they risk damaging the following season as well.
    It seems they must finish the league by June so that means they must start by May which is in just 4 weeks time. Very unlikely with Covid 19 still a month from the peak. So for me the league season is gone. Null in void would be ridiculous. 29 league games is enough. Hard lines for the likes of Lazio and Real Madrid I know but sacrifices have to be made.
    No relegation. Promote only 2 teams.
    The following season relegate 4 teams and promote only 2 to return the league to 20 teams.
    It would take just one season so is not hard to do.
    The cups can take place because there are far fewer teams and games involved.
    Finish the EL, CL and domestic FA Cups in July.
    Start the new season in Sept.
    Postpone the Nations cup qualifiers (Sept-Dec)
    to free up space for a later start in European club group stages.
    But the unknown factor is the containment or otherwise of Covid 19 throughout Europe .
    If not properly contained a full new season is not yet guaranteed

  3. Bravo Dan, for clearly pointing out the idiocy of this fantasy idea, which anyone with even a single brain cell will immediately realise is a total non starter. I am constantly appalled at the amount of totally self centred “thinking” that some people will indulge in to get this already ended season completed.
    It won’t be, unless a miracle cure is found and used throughout the world within a month at latest. The chances of that happening? Less than mine of winning the next ten Euro lotteries. MEANWHILE , BACK AT PLANET EARTH….!

    1. I said three weeks ago there was no chance of this season being finished. Tough on Liverpool but that’s how it goes. it was tough on English clubs when we were banned from Europe for five years because of Liverpool’s fans behaviour. The season will soon be declared null and void and of the FA or The Premier League start trying to make up some kind of fantasy table they’ll face such huge legal battles they won’t know what’s hit them.
      P.S
      Should mean we’ll be back in the Europa Cup next year. As I said before, where’s Sir Henry Norris when you need him.

      1. KENNY, Ah, Sir Henry Norris ! The single most important perosn in Arsenals entire history but unknown at all by many youngsters who think our club began with Wenger. How little they know! I see no way there will be any football played, probably this whole year and certainly not until well into autumn at the VERY LEAST. AS you rightly say, this season is already over , though some will not accept the clear truth.

  4. I honestly thought that Covid-19 would fizzle out, like SARS did a few years ago. As time went on, especially in northern Italy, where the virus was exploding, swiftly followed by Spain, it became obvious to me that the UK was not going to get away with it. Trump thought that the USA wouldn’t suffer and look what is happening in New York State. This virus is going to change all our lives for months and the after effects for our future health and economy for years to come
    You made excellent points and I barely have the stomach for a swift return to football when so much is up in the air with the fabric of our lives so much at risk. I know we will come out the other side but it won’t be for a while yet

  5. The F A want to get there fingers out of their back-end and come out with a statement saying the season is over the Health and Safety is more important than football

  6. Football and the greedy players, agents, managers, owners and all who make obscene amounts from football need to get their houses into shape. All footballers and those creaming a living need to make a statement. Some of us have lost our jobs, out of work temporarily and losing family and friends to this horrible scenario that is developing. I for one will look at football and its greedy hangers on in a different light when this is all over. They should be taking massive pay cuts and getting a dose of reality, instead, they are showing their greedy shabby side. Act now football and make a massive proper statement of intention to show this world you are not in your own rich little bubble. Football doesn’t matter at this time and for me if it cant show us it has a heart, it doesn’t matter that much after. Dont be greedy and self centred, show us you are at our level TAKE A PAY CUT AND HELP THE COUNTRY. LETS SEE PLAYERS HELPING OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AND NOT HIDING IN THEIR MANSIONS CREAMING OFF THEIR WAGES.

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