If reports among the British press are to be believed, the Premier League are said to be seriously considering a proposal that will see the league being completed in World Cup style isolation camps in the summer. The proposal would see teams assemble at a particular venue, cut off from their friends and families, with the potential of 4-5 games being played in a day.
The league still has 92 games to complete, and with the European Championships being postponed, the idea of a mega World Cup style finish to the PL season has garnered support among several executives. Two dates for restarting the league- April 3 and April 30, have already been deferred, and a June-July start looks more likely given how quickly COVID-19 has spread across the UK. At the time of writing, nearly 20,000 cases have been diagnosed, with the likes of Prince Charles, Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Health Secretary Matt Hancock all testing positive for the virus. The UK is among the top ten nations affected by the coronavirus- in fact all five of Europe’s big leagues (England, France, Spain, Germany and Italy) have had their respective countries badly hit by the virus, with Italy and Spain even overtaking China in the list of cases.
The FA have already decided to cancel all leagues below the National League, but would be keen to avoid a similar measure for the PL and Championship given the television money at stake.
With many countries under a virtual lockdowns, clubs have been forced to ask their players to stay at home. Many fans and players have found unique ways to beat the boredom- some have attempted to play football themed games online, such as Soccer Safari and Supreme Football at Slotswise, while others have been watching re-runs of old games. There have also been various “stay at home” challenges posted on Twitter, with the likes of Lionel Messi, Felipe Melo and Paul Pogba all partaking in them.
The planning would have to be thorough, because even one case of a player or a staff member showing Covid symptoms could bring an end to the league. The games would have to be behind closed doors- opening games to spectators could pose a serious risk, as evinced by the damage done by the Atalanta Valencia first leg CL game. The warmer climes of summer may help in the fight against the virus, with several health specialists of the opinion that the curve could be flattened come June-July.
The good bit about a World Cup style finish to the league would be some entertaining football in the summer with the Euros postponed. It would certainly involve logistical challenges- the players and club staff would have to be isolated, and we might even require full hospitals to be reserved for players in case of serious injuries on the field. Then, there’s the case of player contracts- there will be several out of contract on July 1, and should these games be played in that month, their availability becomes an issue.
Tough times this for everyone involved with European and world football!