COVID-19/20 season

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Dave Sutton's barnet
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Re: COVID-19/20 season

Post by Dave Sutton's barnet » Thu Mar 19, 2020 2:24 pm

Worthy4England wrote:
Thu Mar 19, 2020 1:14 pm
Nothing before the 30th April now at the earliest.
...which means our first game might be at Oxford, Prufrock... (Except I doubt we'll be allowed out.)

In other moves: from their side, FIFA are happy to relax the "June 30" contract-ending rules, to allow potential flexibility to finish seasons. The FA, PL, EFL, WSL, PFA & LMA met today and (per Press Association) the idea of voiding the season wasn't even discussed: "We are united in our commitment to finding ways of resuming the 2019/20 football season and ensuring all domestic and European club league and cup matches are played as soon as it is safe and possible to do so."

https://www.premierleague.com/news/1646728

Seems right to me. I still think we're a long way from kicking a ball – so much so that we might end up playing a half-season next time to level up the calendar. But the way the chairs were moved aside for a winter World Cup demonstrated that things can be done.

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Re: COVID-19/20 season

Post by TonyDomingos » Thu Mar 19, 2020 8:46 pm

Johnson says we can "turn the tide" (whatever that might mean) in 12 weeks, but only if everyone follows the guidance. A very optimistic view would be that normality begins to return in mid-June. I think that's highly unlikely. Like you, DSB, I suspect 20/21 might well be half a season - ie teams play each other only once (or twice if half the sides go bust).
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Re: COVID-19/20 season

Post by Athertonian » Fri Mar 27, 2020 2:32 pm

I have no doubt this season is over and will probably struggle to begin a new one in August. I read earlier that amateur leagues have been called void which gives my home Town club Atherton colls another chance at the Northern prem.

As yet, nothing has been mentioned whether the Premier League or the EFL will follow suit. If this is called Bolton will begin next term on zero points and remain in the first Division? Which ever decision is made there will be controversy. How does everyone else see this?

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Re: COVID-19/20 season

Post by BWFC_Insane » Fri Mar 27, 2020 3:00 pm

Dave Sutton's barnet wrote:
Thu Mar 19, 2020 2:24 pm
Worthy4England wrote:
Thu Mar 19, 2020 1:14 pm
Nothing before the 30th April now at the earliest.
...which means our first game might be at Oxford, Prufrock... (Except I doubt we'll be allowed out.)

In other moves: from their side, FIFA are happy to relax the "June 30" contract-ending rules, to allow potential flexibility to finish seasons. The FA, PL, EFL, WSL, PFA & LMA met today and (per Press Association) the idea of voiding the season wasn't even discussed: "We are united in our commitment to finding ways of resuming the 2019/20 football season and ensuring all domestic and European club league and cup matches are played as soon as it is safe and possible to do so."

https://www.premierleague.com/news/1646728

Seems right to me. I still think we're a long way from kicking a ball – so much so that we might end up playing a half-season next time to level up the calendar. But the way the chairs were moved aside for a winter World Cup demonstrated that things can be done.
Or we could actually do something to save the lower leagues and call this season - null and void and start afresh. Without a new season and summer ST sales how many L1/2 clubs will survive? Not many. I fear for us in this scenario. I would set some parameters.

New season has to start by 1st September. There needs to be a minimum of a 6 week close season. So work back - if current season can safely complete by mid-July then ok. If not - cancel it and move on. The obsession with completing the season will destroy a lot of clubs.

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Re: COVID-19/20 season

Post by Riviman » Sat Mar 28, 2020 9:21 am

Emma Beaugeard speaks to 5 Live about the role of the hotel at the moment:
https://www.bwfc.co.uk/news/2020/march/ ... io-5-live/

Well done BWFC
I feel reborn !!!! No more confussion

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Re: COVID-19/20 season

Post by Athertonian » Mon Mar 30, 2020 10:28 am

The longer this virus lingers the longer football will remain absent.
There are many clubs treading water and worried for their survival in these current climes. Who will be the first club to announce they're experiencing financial problems.
There are too many clubs relying on the money from TV rights, Sky being the main supplier. If what they say is true that normality will not return until next year I can see more than one club going to the wall. I will say either Ipswich or Derby will be one of the first.

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Re: COVID-19/20 season

Post by BWFC_Insane » Mon Mar 30, 2020 11:30 am

Bolton furloughed lots of staff today. And warning of job losses.

Not good. Yet the premiership are still hell bent on protecting their season. Clubs like ours probably won't exist by the time we can raise significant income by selling STs for the next season. But so long as the big boys get to complete the season who actually cares?

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Re: COVID-19/20 season

Post by officer_dibble » Fri Apr 03, 2020 6:47 am

Certain Premier league clubs looking like they are way out of touch. The majority of our league and below can’t survive this summer without some agile thinking and planning by the EFL (uh-oh). Now is the time to shake up the cash distribution surely? Or will the premier league muscle in with B teams? All bets are off.

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Re: COVID-19/20 season

Post by BWFC_Insane » Fri Apr 03, 2020 9:17 am

officer_dibble wrote:
Fri Apr 03, 2020 6:47 am
Certain Premier league clubs looking like they are way out of touch. The majority of our league and below can’t survive this summer without some agile thinking and planning by the EFL (uh-oh). Now is the time to shake up the cash distribution surely? Or will the premier league muscle in with B teams? All bets are off.
I think bailouts are out of the question. Premiership clubs will struggle too - they have more money but also more outgoings.

My view however, is that completing this current season unless it can be done before end of June will destroy huge swathes of clubs in this land. It will be a terrible decision. The season should not be played. I don't care how you resolve it. I really do not. But above all if they complete this season they better be ready to lose a load of football clubs in the process.

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Re: COVID-19/20 season

Post by Harry Genshaw » Fri Apr 03, 2020 11:45 am

I'm still slack jawed at the chutzpah of Newcastle and Spurs, the 8th richest club in the world, continuing to pay millionaires in full while asking the tax payer to foot the bill for their non playing staff.
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Re: COVID-19/20 season

Post by Gooner Girl » Fri Apr 03, 2020 1:09 pm

Harry Genshaw wrote:
Fri Apr 03, 2020 11:45 am
I'm still slack jawed at the chutzpah of Newcastle and Spurs, the 8th richest club in the world, continuing to pay millionaires in full while asking the tax payer to foot the bill for their non playing staff.
Spurs. Always been a classless club. I wouldn’t expect anything else of them. ;)

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Re: COVID-19/20 season

Post by BWFC_Insane » Fri Apr 03, 2020 1:52 pm

Harry Genshaw wrote:
Fri Apr 03, 2020 11:45 am
I'm still slack jawed at the chutzpah of Newcastle and Spurs, the 8th richest club in the world, continuing to pay millionaires in full while asking the tax payer to foot the bill for their non playing staff.
They can't furlough their players...and in furloughing their non playing staff aren't they doing what the government wants? Otherwise they would probably make lots redundant...

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Re: COVID-19/20 season

Post by Harry Genshaw » Fri Apr 03, 2020 2:08 pm

BWFC_Insane wrote:
Fri Apr 03, 2020 1:52 pm
Harry Genshaw wrote:
Fri Apr 03, 2020 11:45 am
I'm still slack jawed at the chutzpah of Newcastle and Spurs, the 8th richest club in the world, continuing to pay millionaires in full while asking the tax payer to foot the bill for their non playing staff.
They can't furlough their players...and in furloughing their non playing staff aren't they doing what the government wants? Otherwise they would probably make lots redundant...
If they can afford to pay their players they can quite easily afford to pay their other employees too. Perhaps the law should be changed so players can be furloughed. Either way, I'm damn sure the emergency legislation wasnt brought in to bail out wealthy football clubs.
"Get your feet off the furniture you Oxbridge tw*t. You're not on a feckin punt now you know"

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Re: COVID-19/20 season

Post by BWFC_Insane » Fri Apr 03, 2020 2:57 pm

Harry Genshaw wrote:
Fri Apr 03, 2020 2:08 pm
BWFC_Insane wrote:
Fri Apr 03, 2020 1:52 pm
Harry Genshaw wrote:
Fri Apr 03, 2020 11:45 am
I'm still slack jawed at the chutzpah of Newcastle and Spurs, the 8th richest club in the world, continuing to pay millionaires in full while asking the tax payer to foot the bill for their non playing staff.
They can't furlough their players...and in furloughing their non playing staff aren't they doing what the government wants? Otherwise they would probably make lots redundant...
If they can afford to pay their players they can quite easily afford to pay their other employees too. Perhaps the law should be changed so players can be furloughed. Either way, I'm damn sure the emergency legislation wasnt brought in to bail out wealthy football clubs.
You want the taxpayer picking up 80% of massive premiership players wages?

Also I suspect clubs can't afford to pay their players - not for long with no income. Remember this is about the business - they may have wealthy owners but they aren't responsible for subsidising their businesses wages - not by law at least.

The fact is furloughing was designed to stop businesses making their staff redundant. So restaurant can't open - or make money - so normal business practice - lay off staff, cut costs and hope you can restart again. Doing that of course leaves millions and millions unemployed and what is likely to be an economic depression not seen since the early part of the last century even worse.

Football clubs are IMO no different - they are businesses that cannot operate. So they are using the furlough system correctly. Many hotels and restaurants using it are also owned by billionaires. Its just the way its designed. The ethics and morality of it are indeed questionable but I think victimising premiership clubs over anyone else is not really fair. Branson wanted a bailout. Easyjet did too. Billionaire owners not only wanting to furlough but to have hundreds of millions of state cash to keep their businesses alive.

I'd personally say furloughing is absolutely the right thing for any business that cannot currently operate to do. Morally it gives their staff 80% of their incomes guaranteed for 3 months regardless. That's good. IMHO.

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Re: COVID-19/20 season

Post by Prufrock » Fri Apr 03, 2020 3:41 pm

We're always told the reason we can't tax the feck* is that they will all up sticks and move abroad.

Not sure that's an option atm
In a world that has decided
That it's going to lose its mind
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Re: COVID-19/20 season

Post by CrazyHorse » Fri Apr 03, 2020 3:51 pm

BWFC_Insane wrote:
Fri Apr 03, 2020 2:57 pm
You want the taxpayer picking up 80% of massive premiership players wages?
It's 80% but only up to a maximum of £2500 a month.
But then you knew that already.
Businesswoman of the year.

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Re: COVID-19/20 season

Post by Harry Genshaw » Fri Apr 03, 2020 4:40 pm

CrazyHorse wrote:
Fri Apr 03, 2020 3:51 pm
BWFC_Insane wrote:
Fri Apr 03, 2020 2:57 pm
You want the taxpayer picking up 80% of massive premiership players wages?
It's 80% but only up to a maximum of £2500 a month.
But then you knew that already.
Aye but acknowledging that would stop him from being a contrary tw*t!
"Get your feet off the furniture you Oxbridge tw*t. You're not on a feckin punt now you know"

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Re: COVID-19/20 season

Post by BWFC_Insane » Fri Apr 03, 2020 4:50 pm

CrazyHorse wrote:
Fri Apr 03, 2020 3:51 pm
BWFC_Insane wrote:
Fri Apr 03, 2020 2:57 pm
You want the taxpayer picking up 80% of massive premiership players wages?
It's 80% but only up to a maximum of £2500 a month.
But then you knew that already.
Exactly so they can’t be furloughed. Point is that large businesses that have lots of cash are furloughing staff not just football clubs. For people that work in clubs it’s better to be furloughed than sacked. And the problem is they set up this system without discrimination. Should billionaire business owners use it? No for me but that extends way way way beyond premiership clubs.

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Re: COVID-19/20 season

Post by Dave Sutton's barnet » Fri Apr 03, 2020 4:58 pm

UEFA now threatening Belgian clubs with expulsion from European competition next season (whenever the hell that is) because they unilaterally declared this season over. PL/EPL/FA/PFA again declare their full intention to finish this season. It's going to happen, and next season will be shorter in some way.

As for the Premier League clubs being greedy and gaming the system, there's a shock. "Them 'az 'az 'll 'ave," as my old gran used to say. Hence Richard Branson asking for a bailout while he polishes his spaceship.

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Re: COVID-19/20 season

Post by BWFC_Insane » Fri Apr 03, 2020 7:15 pm

Dave Sutton's barnet wrote:
Fri Apr 03, 2020 4:58 pm
UEFA now threatening Belgian clubs with expulsion from European competition next season (whenever the hell that is) because they unilaterally declared this season over. PL/EPL/FA/PFA again declare their full intention to finish this season. It's going to happen, and next season will be shorter in some way.

As for the Premier League clubs being greedy and gaming the system, there's a shock. "Them 'az 'az 'll 'ave," as my old gran used to say. Hence Richard Branson asking for a bailout while he polishes his spaceship.
Either the season gets cancelled or football across Europe will lose a lot of very old and esteemed clubs. You need a break of say minimum 4 weeks between seasons. Because clubs like us wouldn’t have any players. And as they keep saying there is no saying when football can return. Let’s say best case scenario is July. You complete season during July and August and only manage to bankrupt a few clubs through paying extra wages. The pre season is September with new season in October running through to June. Have to delay European champs somewhat,

That is best case scenario. And probably unlikely. If you are determined to finish the season then I fear for us.

As ever UEFA have their snouts in the trough. Why can’t football and TV companies do a sensible deal and call this off...whilst keeping game alive. And start next season ASAP. It blows my mind how stupid they are.

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