Davefevs

People’s front of judea versus Judean people’s front!

Phil Wallace - Stevenage Owner on Covid (SSN 2:35pm today) Highlights: - clubs have invested time and effort working through “return to playing” guidelines with SAG to work out how they can get a safe quantity of fans back in - inconsistent approach re indoor venues - you can watch women’s team in same stadium as the men! - blanket ban on crowds in pro football is wrong, many / all clubs can satisfy a given number for their ground - testing is necessary (needs to come back), but for Stevenage it’s £3.5k per round. He suggests it should be twice weekly (£7k per week) to avoid picking up a symptomatic player on Monday who was sat on a coach with the whole team on Saturday. They can’t afford it - PFA claimed player welfare last season, so shouldn’t they contribute to the testing cost....they have tens of millions of retained earnings. Not saying they should pay for the lot though - commence test events to prove it can be done safely. - lots of Lg1/2 clubs are in real problems in November, not just gate income lost, but banqueting etc etc - potential transfer levy idea to put into a pot to help in bad times (now!) He genuinely looked choked talking about it.

It’s the inconsistency / illogical rationale that does me. It’s the changing of the metrics to suit their agenda that is totally against the level of of competence I’d expect from a government. They are making it up as they go along, they are not following the science. They are playing a game of “chance” with others lives at stake.

That’s the bit I’m frustrated by. I don’t necessarily think football grounds are safe yet, but if they aren’t nor are cinemas, etc. 1m+ indoors...what tosh. And that is why the seating needs careful planning. It might be that early trials are with a bigger social distancing element. Instead if 1m+, you do 2m+....I think a lot of people are ignoring the “+”....that’s means with mitigation, e.g. mask, screen, facing away from each other etc. If 2m+ (initially) meant 4k rather than 8k fans at AG, then City make a commercial decision. They might say start with 3k because they want to control the concourse better etc. Each club needs to plan their implementation of the guidelines....and then enforce it.

I would like to attend, but won’t if it’s not “safe”. Until I know the details I can’t say what I’d do. If they want to give all of Section A4 to Joe and myself, then I’d go and feel safe.

Luckily they all wrote Bake-inson, so he’s safe for a bit longer.

Yep, we subbed on 82 years and subbed off 90 years.

Average age was 25 (and a bit) today....and went below 25 with all 3 subs on.

It was the bit where you said bossing it on his own, but it’s just good we are talking about positive impacts. ??

Depends on whether you are using “average” as in average or “average” in a derogatory way like some people do. For me, overall he did what I expected him to today....good bits and sloppy bits. I don’t do half marks but he was somewhere between a 6 and a 7. Agree, I though his couple of casual bits first half were a bit of a catalyst to giving Forest encouragement. It’s all a learning curve, and he was better second half. Vyner likewise. I suspect at h-t Holden or the coaches re-emphasised to both of them the quality of the Championship and how easy it is to be punished. They both show the ability to soak up info and act upon it. I don’t think he bossed it today. If he was we wouldn’t have been under as much pressure. I do think it does disrespect Pato and Weimann...it is a midfield unit, and they compliment each other (in the main). He is looking good though for a youngster playing his first games at this level.

Unbelievable Jeff. Assumed it was photoshopped until I checked Vue at Longwell Green. I get that Prem football has different licencing for covid, but it’s the sheer inconsistency of who is allowed to offer a service and who isn’t, especially as one is indoors and the other isn’t. ??????

I thought they were on annual reviews?

Maguire was suggesting losses of £27m! Bellingham’s transfer will be in next year’s accounts. You would’ve thought that 19/20s numbers ought to result in points deduction...shouldn’t it?

Yep, it’s a difficult balance. How much would a genuine iFollow (if even available) or Sky commercial sub cost?

Different tv deals between rugby and football as a result of covid.

+ @MarcusX Thats why the temporary tv deal is as it is, to try to stop people congregating in pubs to watch games.

Not allowed to broadcast EFL football in pubs at the mo’.

Kia not understanding the difference between Jordan saying Governance not Government. Kia I’m sure is looking for a fast buck. Let him “sink” £50m into Derby, Forest etc. I reckon he’d end up with less than £50m of his outlay....although he will have dreamed off a percentage for himself. Not just having a go at him because we all hate agents / 3rd party owners like this....I listened to him several years back, and not every player owned by him makes him £millions, but in Brazil for example, you can acquire player ownership so cheaply, you can play the numbers game.

Just been having a similar conversation on twitter DM. Personally I think the rationale for one thing over another, e.g. pub over football ground is ridiculous, so if pubs are ok, why aren’t other businesses. Don’t get me wrong I think there’s a pretty strong argument to lockdown down pubs etc too (apologies publicans on here). But if pubs can open, where is the comparable safety assessment that can be applied to football stadia.

“Hoping” ??????

Worth a read.

Too complicated an argument with too many dynamics to formulate a full response. But, why would a football club in the entertainment and hospitality sector be treated differently to another business in that sector, whose trade has been restrained by the government? Agree with Triple-T above that football could help itself also. The government’s range of financial support packages were ill-conceived imho, and now they are about to end things like CJRS (Furloughing). It won’t be just football clubs “bleating” once October hits!

Rant above

Good post. For me, there is a lot of moaning from owners that FFP doesn’t allow them to buy there way to success, e.g. they can only cover losses. Well this is the perfect opportunity for them to cover bigger losses!