Time to postpone Euros and prepare for domestic consequences

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The next two rounds of games in La Liga have been suspended as the effects of the coronavirus grow in Spain.  Seven Bundesliga games will take place behind closed doors this weekend, as will all games in Ligue 1, while pretty much everything in Italy is shutdown.

This leaves England the only one of the big five leagues going ahead in front of full stadiums.  Infection rates in Italy, France, Spain and Germany are significantly higher than the UK, but it seems inevitable that public attendance at sporting events in the UK will be stopped within days.

As more players become infected, it will be impossible, and hazardous to players, to continue with football matches.  Uefa must accept that the Euros should be postponed, you cannot have tens of thousands travelling across the continent, then home again.  This competition is a crucial earner for Uefa and national associations; it will be a commercial washout if held this year.  Better on all counts to re-schedule for 2021.

Domestic competitions, as well as the Champions and Europa Leagues, should be allowed to run into June – all behind closed doors.

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  1. Great minds Paul. Just posted this in the last article comments

     

     

    TURKEYBHOY on 12TH MARCH 2020 11:30 AM

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Well there are plenty of deranged Huns already on their sites,gloating about us getting stuffed for this title.

     

     

     

     

     

     

    ___

     

     

     

     

     

     

    My personal prediction is: The Euros will be switched to 2021

     

     

     

     

     

     

    The Scottish League season will be extended into the summer.

     

     

     

     

    There is no rainy day fund for the other 11 clubs. They will need the matchday income. The season cannot be cancelled.

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Just delayed.

  2. I am surprised UEFA have allowed the Sevco game to be played in front of a crowd tonight. Fairness would suggest the same for both sides.

     

     

     

     

    Incidentally, I wouldn`t be amazed if our game at Ibrox is postponed/played BCD.

     

     

     

     

    Action seem to be escalating.

  3. Having professitional football played behind volsed doors makes it a bit of a nonsense.

     

     

    If it comes to that it would be much better to scrap this season and and see how things shape up for next season. Things may not be great by then but things would be settled and risks better understood and controlled.

     

     

    Hail Hail

  4. As soon as one of our players gets CV then it’s game over. The Behind closed doors thing is just a nonsense really. A delay to the inevitable.

     

     

    Let’s do our bit. Stop football.

  5. Wouldn’t want this to be missed because there’s a new topic.

     

     

    ######

     

     

     

    South Of Tunis on 12th March 2020 12:01 pm

     

    An accurate English version of what another Bergamo medic had to say re Covid 19 in Bergamo – @15 minutes worth-

     

     

     

    https://youtu.be/s2XDF2fSpz8

  6. ernie

     

    `Gatherings of over 500 to be banned in Scotland.`

     

     

    Does that mean school populations will be curtailed accordingly?

     

    Interesting !!

  7. South Of Tunis on

    My old man is due to celebrate his 100th birthday in early April- Party etc lined up.

     

     

    He called me earlier- “Looks like you might struggle to get out of Italy but if you do- dont you be bringing me any germs son – you gave

     

    me more than enough of those when you were a wean ”

     

    Hey Ho !

  8. I am first to admit I’m no medical expert, but surely there is more danger of infection from crowded buses, trains, planes etc than from outdoor events.

     

     

    Incidentally in year 2014 /2015 influenza infection amongst the elderly in Italy had a mortality rate of >10%.

  9. HOT SMOKED on 12TH MARCH 2020 12:14 PM

     

     

    The UK government seems to be following its own path. I don’t think that other countries are doing will make that much of a difference

  10. UEFA about to announce suspension of Champions and Europa Leagues, including tonight’s matches.

  11. Greenpinata on 12th March 2020 12:26 pm

     

    ‘I am first to admit I’m no medical expert, but surely there is more danger of infection from crowded buses, trains, planes etc than from outdoor events.’

     

     

     

    ###

     

     

    What is an outdoor event?

  12. The situation will change completely after the COBRA meeting today.

     

     

    I fully expect a minimum of closed doors football going forwards.

     

     

    The Scottish Government showing where their loyalty lies this morning, gatherings over 500 to be banned from next Monday. I wonder who needs to get a game played to pay the bills this weekend?

     

     

    If the comments made by Kris Ajer’s agent this morning are accurate we should sell him to Leicester. Big raw boy, plenty of heart but lacking as a centre half.

  13. Hot Smoked on 12th March 2020 12:25 pm

     

     

    No. Schools and universities to remain open for now.

  14. Ray Winstone's Big Disembodied Heid on

    Spanish news outlet MARCA are stating that EL and CL to be suspended with an announcement “imminent”.

  15. Ernie,

     

     

    What is an outdoor event ?

     

    ————–

     

    Use the same parameters for the ban on smoking.

     

    Answer : Enclosed space.

     

     

    How can you ban football matches but leave main line enclosed train stations that service tens or even hundreds of thousands of people each day.?

     

     

    On a slightly different topic:

     

    Still awaiting final details of isolation at work. It was rolled out that if we had a positive case of coronavirus rigs would be in total isolation for 14 days, with the clock reset if another case was diagnosed, so there is no way I’m not taking this seriously.

     

     

    Cheers and HH.

  16. Have seen no improvement in Ajer as a centre half. Still making the same mistakes. I would sell in the summer

  17. Here’s a difficulty with extending the season, a lot of players contracts will end on 31.05.2020

     

     

    Last year, our last league game was the 16th of May. The scottish cup final was the 25th.

     

     

    Johnny Hayes’ contract runs out on the 31st.

     

     

    I could only see the extension of the league season to the 31st tops.

  18. Greenpinata on 12th March 2020 12:43 pm

     

     

    They’re trying to strike a balance between slowing down the spread of the virus against economic impact.

     

     

    Where the balancing point is on the scale will shift as the threat increases.

  19. South Of Tunis on

    Juve and Inter squads in quarantine.Juve player – Rugani – has tested positive for Covid 19.

  20. DAVID17 on 12TH MARCH 2020 12:51 PM

     

    Player contracts normally run to 30th of June.

     

     

    ____

     

     

    In most countries yes.

     

     

    But I think its May in Scotland.

  21. My money’s on sevco being allowed their two bumper paydays before closed doors games

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