COVID-19/Coronavirus, call it what you will but one thing is for sure, it is royally screwing up football with fans of clubs sat at home right now twiddling their thumbs and discovering that there is another side to Saturday. For some fans, it will be a strange affair but former England striker Kevin Phillips, speaking to Football Insider, says that Leeds United and West Brom fans will be upset if one suggestion is put into play regarding this season.
We live in unprecedented times about the spread of this virulent virus; some are calling it a generational disease. Whatever you call it, there is no escaping from it and that is due to continue for the foreseeable future. It is wreaking havoc with health services as the number of cases, and deaths continues to climb. It is also causing massive disruption to sporting fixtures as event after event is called off.
Despite the Government not doing so, the football bodies of the Premier League and Football League have suspended their respective leagues until April 3 at the very earliest. There’s a meeting of the Premier League next week and UEFA has invited representatives from its 55 member associations to videoconference talks next Tuesday as they look at what to do regarding European football’s response to the outbreak that is predicted to peak in the UK in May/June.
There is a real understanding that the suspension of UK football to April 3 might, indeed, be extended somewhat in a move that will put this season’s campaigns in real jeopardy. Many tales and hypotheses are being bandied around as to what will happen, what the eventualities will be. In truth, with it being such ‘unprecedented times’ (as mentioned before), no-one knows as there’s never been anything such as this to contend with.
However, in speaking to Football Insider, Kevin Phillips mentions once scenario that is horrific to think about for the Whites and the Baggies, as well as for clubs such as Coventry City, Rotherham in League One and Crewe, Swindon Town, Plymouth Argyle, Exeter City and Cheltenham in League Two. That scenario – abandoning the season and starting afresh in August.
Phillips says that his preference would be to see the season finish before adding that he can’t foresee this happening unless the COVID-19 outbreak is corralled and contained with some haste. Focusing on Leeds and West Brom, Phillips says: “They’ll be devastated if it does have to be scrapped and they have to start fresh next season. It’s a bizarre, incredible situation we’re in at the minute.”
Put simply, was the nightmarish situation to be sanctioned, you would see ever club within a whisper of promotion or salvation from relegation being up in arms. Clubs would flood the courts with cases and the EFL would be fighting off litigation like a lone man facing a mob with pitchforks and flaming torches.
Hopefully, the UEFA meeting on Tuesday, and subsequent member meetings later in the week, will bring about a higher degree of clarity and certainty about what will happen going forward. then fans can at least steel themselves for whatever their circumstances their side will have to deal with.
