COVID-19 - Leagues Suspended

[Gotham Gator]

Going for a jog is a lot different than the kind of working out professional players do, in all fairness.

Certainly true. My only point is that they were already able to go for runs or set up cones or do any of the things they want or need by themselves. Now they can do it in the training facility, again by themselves. I guess this means that someone on the staff can watch them from a distance. Still, I would expect they are getting very specific instructions on the workouts they’re supposed to be doing and probably even filming some things for the staff to see.

Long story short, I don’t see this as a big change. The real change will be when they can practice as a team.

 

[ZYanksRule]

Certainly true. My only point is that they were already able to go for runs or set up cones or do any of the things they want or need by themselves. Now they can do it in the training facility, again by themselves. I guess this means that someone on the staff can watch them from a distance. Still, I would expect they are getting very specific instructions on the workouts they’re supposed to be doing and probably even filming some things for the staff to see.

Long story short, I don’t see this as a big change. The real change will be when they can practice as a team.

Based on what guys have been saying during interviews (on NYCFC and YES), it appears all the workouts they were given were indoor workouts. The players have all been staying inside and haven't done the kind of outdoor workouts this will allow.

Now, that being said, this policy also says that the local government has to OK it, and since we are still under stay-at-home orders in New York, our players will not be returning to the practice field this week like they will in certain other locales.

 

[canchon]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1257303876476170240

so much for the “we’ll just quarantine the players and play behind closed doors.” 10 people tested positive in bundesliga/bundesliga 2 testing, so now what?

 

[Fantazma]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1257303876476170240

so much for the “we’ll just quarantine the players and play behind closed doors.” 10 people tested positive in bundesliga/bundesliga 2 testing, so now what?

are staff and operations people or people like kitmen being tested? I mean even some coaches are within that age range of people at risk or may even have conditions too. I mean Koeman was hospitalized for some heart procedure he would be an at risk person. its not only players people need to keep any eye out on.

 

[Ulrich]

This is awesome and an absolute zinger to other large clubs that have the wrong intentions. Would think their cross town rivals have seen it and are hopefully shamed into adopting the same policy across all of their brands.

Man Utd won't pass on virus costs to fans

Manchester United have vowed that supporters will not be left paying the price for the coronavirus pandemic.

www.espn.com

 

[Kjbert]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1257303876476170240

so much for the “we’ll just quarantine the players and play behind closed doors.” 10 people tested positive in bundesliga/bundesliga 2 testing, so now what?

They tested positive on the “way in” so to speak.

 

[Gotham Gator]

That result really isn’t bad. It’s less than 1%, and these are people that presumably can be quarantined for 14 days before joining their squads.

Either way, Germany has handled the outbreak really well and will make a decision tomorrow.

 

[FootyLovin]

Interesting review of the trickle down economics of soccer.

 

[Gotham Gator]

Angela Merkel is set to announce today when the Bundesliga can begin play behind closed doors.

Rumors already reported that they will open next Friday (May 15) after quarantining all players and staff for a week. Other rumors say the quarantine will be 2 weeks with a restart May 22.

 

[dannd23]

If there are no fans there's no reason not to bring it back by the 15th. Germany's 3 day average is under 1000 cases a day. Teams playing behind closed doors is not going to have any effect on the infection rate increasing.

 

[mgarbowski]

FIFA VP: European season could move to calendar year before 2022 FIFA World Cup | MLSSoccer.com

FIFA VP considers moving Euro season to calendar year

www.mlssoccer.com

 

[mgarbowski]

FWIW I've also seen scattered commentary saying this is also the opportunity for MLS to move to the European schedule. Either would be taking advantage of an unavoidable pause to realign the schedule. But in terms of climate and weather, it's a lot easier for Europe to move to the US schedule than the other way around. If anything, much of Europe has summer weather that is not only better suited to professional soccer than US winters are, but European summers are also generally less hot and humid than US ones, so there would hardly be any weather-related problems at all.

 

[Gotham Gator]

FIFA VP: European season could move to calendar year before 2022 FIFA World Cup | MLSSoccer.com

FIFA VP considers moving Euro season to calendar year

www.mlssoccer.com

If this happens, I wonder if it would be permanent, or just a temporary change that runs through the World Cup followed by a transition back to the traditional schedule.

 

[Fantazma]

If this happens, I wonder if it would be permanent, or just a temporary change that runs through the World Cup followed by a transition back to the traditional schedule.

temporary. I dont think many Euro tournaments be happening in winter months, not many people will want to go.

 

[Fantazma]

FIFA VP: European season could move to calendar year before 2022 FIFA World Cup | MLSSoccer.com

FIFA VP considers moving Euro season to calendar year

www.mlssoccer.com

lol of course MLS site will be reporting this news too.

 

[Shwafta]

If this happens, I wonder if it would be permanent, or just a temporary change that runs through the World Cup followed by a transition back to the traditional schedule.

I'm assuming it would transition back, but depends how much they enjoy the schedule.

I can't see the world cup being help in mid-winter in europe...

 

[Gotham Gator]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1258108648598892546

 

[mgarbowski]

If this happens, I wonder if it would be permanent, or just a temporary change that runs through the World Cup followed by a transition back to the traditional schedule.

I don't think they would switch, then switch back, because they would either have to take an 8 month sabbatical which would cost too much money, or play a weird half season to fill the gap. Both of those just create more issues of exactly the type the initial switch would be trying to limit, just push them into the future a bit. It solves nothing. But I also agree with Fantazma and Shwafta that it's hard to figure Europe wanting to move the Euros and World Cup to the winter, and I can't think of a way to play them in the middle of European league seasons, including leagues, cups, and UCL, unless you make the new winter offseason shorter than 13 weeks.
So I think this either does not happen or they reach an agreement with players to add a mid-season break to play international tournaments and qualifiers, in return for a shorter offseason. The total amount of time off would be the same, but arranged differently. It would also mean more risk for teams that their better players get injured midseason (though less risk they get injured in off-seasons). My non-scientific and frankly uninformed estimate is there's maybe a 20-30% chance it happens.

 

[Gotham Gator]

Bundesliga opts against playing a Friday game next week. Restarts season with Week 26 beginning one week from Saturday. These are the games that had been scheduled when things went on pause.

(times below are UK time)

 

[Kjbert]

Ok so it’s time for all of us to pick a Bundesliga team.

I’m picking Dortmund for obvious reasons.