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Belgians premature

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By on CQN BLOG & Comments

The Belgian league put the cat amongst the waffles yesterday by declaring the Jupiler League over and Bruges champions.  They sorted out their TV and other commercial arrangements and can start next season as soon as it is safe to do so.

There are very few calls to cut seasons short.  Tight leagues, such as in Italy and Spain, would forever  have questions hanging over them, while those assured of winning the title, as in Scotland and England, want to do so on the field, not at a league meeting.  Still, it was nice to see panic among the Null and Voiders, who would rather everyone lost than anyone (Celtic) won.

The Belgians have been pragmatic but premature, football is finished for the season, their champions are assured without controversy and they will accommodate those threatened with relegation.  The rest of Europe still clings to the hope that competition can start behind closed doors in the summer.  It will next month before we know if this is possible, there is no reason to make decisions before then.

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  2. Greenpinata on

    CRC.

     

     

    Davie Hay

     

    2007

     

    –

     

    –

     

    Mick McCarthy Pat Bonner

     

    7

     

    No.

  3. Celtic Mac on

    1. Davie Hay

     

    2. 2007

     

    3.Tommy Johnson – Dundee

     

    4. Clyde

     

    5. Morris/Bonner/Coyle

     

    6. 5

     

    Yes

  4. The Token Tim on

    1. Frank Connor.

     

    2. 2007

     

    3. Lubo, Motherwell.

     

    4. Aberdeen

     

    5. Packy Bonner, Chris Morris and Mick McCarthy.

     

    6. 7

     

    7. No.

  5. Gutenberg on

    1. Hay, Livi

     

    2. 2007

     

    3. ?

     

    4. Falkirk

     

    5. Packy, Morris, Coyne

     

    6. ?

     

    7. Yes

  8. david17 on

    From Telegraph,

     

     

    Celtic will be recognised as Scottish champions, Aberdeen will be awarded the country’s spare Europa League place, there will be no expansion of the SPFL Premiership, but the winter break would be axed, for next season at least, according to soundings taken by Telegraph Sport.

     

    The SPFL has yet to resolve the many issues created by the truncation of its league schedules because of the Covid-19 lockdown and, as always, there are contending points of view amongst clubs, but a desperate need for income is now driving the agenda for many.

     

    Hearts have already flagged a 50% wage reduction for staff and players, while Dundee United have placed almost all staff and players on furlough. This week, Celtic too placed some staff on furlough and promised to top up salaries after administration of the Government’s contribution of 80% of monthly income up to a limit of £2500.

     

    Even had the campaign been proceeding normally, this would be the stage where cash flow is thinnest but, given the state of uncertainty about how and when next season will begin, most clubs badly need the money which is allotted according to final placings in the league tables. Nor can they afford to have their prospect of season ticket sales hindered by debates about league reconstruction.

     

    Revenue from final placings would normally be distributed in May but that cannot be done for as long as the 2019-20 season is kept in abeyance, so there is a strong motive for those unaffected by title races and relegation struggles to move for the league campaign to be declared to be finished. That view has been reinforced by the decision of the Belgian Pro League to stop their competition now, with Club Brugge recognised as champions by virtue of their 15-point lead over KAA Gent, although Uefa still want national leagues to attempt to play to a finish – behind closed doors, if necessary – in July or even August.

     

    The closed doors option has been ruled out unofficially in Scotland because, even in the event of lockdown being eased, it would require the co-operation of emergency services who are likely still to be overstretched or exhausted. There are differences between the views of the UK and Scottish governments about how long the lockdown is likely to be in place, with the Holyrood administration less inclined to contemplate a shortened quarantine.

     

    As far as possible, clubs want to get on with selling season tickets for a set-up as close to the norm as possible, which is a barrier to those proposing league of three divisions with 14 in each. Another difficulty presented by any proposal for a truncated campaign is that those who paid for 2019-20 season tickets will not have had full value for their outlay.

     

    One solution is to expand the scope of next season’s offers to include Scottish Cup and League Cup ties, or to issue vouchers for holders to bring along a guest for free for the equivalent of the missed games. That outcome would be beneficial for clubs with spare capacity at their grounds and would generate greater catering and merchandising revenues, but would be difficult for the likes of Celtic and Rangers, the bulk of whose spectators are season ticket holders, although they could be offered free or discounted tickets for European matches.

     

    This season’s Scottish Cup semi-finals and semi-finals have been postponed indefinitely but could be played before December to yield a 2020 winner. The two Hampden semis– Hearts vs Hibs and Celtic vs Aberdeen – are money-spinning occasions which the contending clubs want to be played. Traditionally, the competition provides a European place for the winner or beaten finalist but, if the tournament is deferred, an entry to the Europa League would become available to the next available SPFL club – in this case Aberdeen, who are fourth in the table.

     

     

    The fact that three of the four semi-finalists are SPFL clubs plus the likelihood that Hearts, even if relegated, would not be involved before the fourth round of the 2020-21 Scottish Cup – to be played next January – clears the way for a deferred finale to this season’s tournament to be played before the end of the year.

     

    The extra fixtures would, however, add to congestion which will be created if next season starts later than the first week in August, meaning that the winter break would almost certainly have to be cancelled. Much to-and-fro will occur over the next few weeks but, barring a near-miraculous early end to the Covid-19 shutdown, the chance of a fulfilled SPFL schedule is remote.

     

    The possibility of a wartime-style season – in which the title would have unofficial status – is adamantly opposed by most clubs sounded by Telegraph Sport. “There were no TV deals and large-scale commercial contracts during the war,” said one source. “It’s just not going to happen.”

  11. tully57 on

    DAVID17

     

     

    Those first 7 words would’ve been very difficult for poor Roddy………

  14. david17 on

    TULLY57 on 3RD APRIL 2020 9:18 PM

     

    DAVID17

     

     

     

    Those first 7 words would’ve been very difficult for poor Roddy………

     

     

    ——

     

     

    Indeed. ‘Recognised’ LOL.

  15. Celticrollercoaster......Hail, Hail Cesar on

    Answers to Round 1: If you know Your Celtic History

     

     

    1 David Hay Livingston

     

    2 2007

     

    3 Mark Viduka Kilmarnock

     

    4 Falkirk

     

    5 Packy Mad Mick Chris Morris

     

    6 7 (Seven)

     

    7 Yes (106)

  16. Saint Stivs on

    !!BADA BING!! on 3RD APRIL 2020 9:19 PM

     

    How’s Roddy’s shares getting on?

     

     

    left them on his debenture seat

  19. Celticrollercoaster......Hail, Hail Cesar on

    Scoreboard after Round 1

     

     

    12 !!BADA BING!!

     

    9 SETTING FREE THE BEARS

     

    8 JOBO BALDIE

     

    7 GUTENBERG

     

    6 GREENPINATA

     

    6 TULLY57

     

    5 SAINT STIVS

     

    5 CELTIC MAC

     

    5 THE TOKEN TIM

     

    4 ANGELGABRIEL 

     

    2 DENA29

  20. Celticrollercoaster......Hail, Hail Cesar on

    Round 2: Celtic in Europe: It was the season 1999/20 and we were up against Welsh opposition in the UEFA Cup Qualifiers

     

     

    ( 1 point for each question answered correctly. If you are the first person to answer a question correctly then you get a bonus point. Only your first guess will count)

     

     

    1 Can you name Celtic’s opposition?

     

     

    2 What was the score at Paradise?

     

     

    3 Who kept goals for Celtic that night?

     

     

    4 Who scored Celtic’s opening goal that night?

     

     

    5 Who eventually knocked us out of the UEFA Cup that season?

  22. Jobo Baldie on

    1. No (so that’s a correct answer, your honour!)

     

    2. 4 – 0

     

    3.

     

    4. Mark Burchil

     

    5. Valencia

  25. sid on

    I posted i wanted the season finished, no matter what.

     

    Next season will be much harder to complete than this one and 2 seasons without completion is not good for the game and supporters are being robbed imo. It doesn’t look like I’ll get my wish though as I’ll explain.

     

     

    Ignore the likes of Roddy Forsyth because he doesn’t know he’s purely speculating.

     

     

    Here’s where we are and this information is cast iron as of today from a highly placed board member.

     

     

    League titles and relegation remains undecided.

     

     

    The remaining games have next to no chance of being played, null and void hasn’t even made it to the table.

     

     

    So that Is how far discussions are at present with the greatest minds Scottish Football has to offer.

     

     

    Anything else is pure conjecture, spin or speculation.

  31. Celticrollercoaster......Hail, Hail Cesar on

    CHRIS0NEILL on 3RD APRIL 2020 9:26 PM

     

     

    Welcome cuz

     

     

    HH

     

     

    CRC

  35. gordybhoy64 on

    Sid

     

    I would rather play out this season no matter when that was,

     

    we could then look at curtailing the following season ,or scrap the cups

     

    to allow more league games.

  41. dena29 on

    GORDYBHOY64 on 3RD APRIL 2020 9:30 PM

     

    Sid

     

     

     

     

    I would rather play out this season no matter when that was,

     

     

     

     

    we could then look at curtailing the following season ,or scrap the cups

     

     

     

     

    to allow more league games.

     

     

    That would be my preference

     

     

     

    HH

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