Football and the Coronavirus

Associate
Joined
5 Sep 2020
Posts
296
Not sure but I do know there is an olympic athlete that struggles to do anything still after catching it earlier this year. Its really not as benign as a lot of people imagine.
A lot of people think if you get Covid you either die or get better. Well it's primarily a respiratory disease - if you're an elite athlete you only need to lose 5% or 10% of your lung capacity to go from peak performance to struggling. I would be very suprised if we don't end up with dozens of footballers well below their best for months or longer.
 
Don
Joined
9 Jun 2004
Posts
46,152
2 week break is utterly pointless. It’s not gonna get better in 2 weeks.
I think it would improve things. If you look back to the resumption in the summer, PL players done very well at staying clear of covid relative to what was happening in the rest of the country. Like 99% of the public, I'm sure footballers and club staff have got complacent over the last few months which has contributed to the increase in positive cases. With testing only once or twice per week these positive cases could snowball.

Bearing in mind that it's far easier for footballers to lock down than it is us (as clubs will do everything for them), a 2 week break with players fully locked down at home would get a grip of the current spike in cases. Not only will it stop the spread but, providing players follow the lockdown, significantly reduce the number of positive tests within the PL. It would also act as a kick up the arse for players and remind them that they need to be careful.

Unfortunately I don't think there's room in the calendar for it, not without having a crazy run of fixtures later in the season.
 
Caporegime
Joined
21 Nov 2005
Posts
40,275
Location
Cornwall
League already decided what the cut off point will be earlier in the season didn't they? Wasn't it a minimum of 70% of the games had to be played or something? If there is another break, I can see that being used rather than screwing up another summer and next seasons start date.

Yes because VVD and Gomez will grow new knees in 2 weeks.
:D
 
Soldato
Joined
1 May 2003
Posts
11,071
I think it would improve things. If you look back to the resumption in the summer, PL players done very well at staying clear of covid relative to what was happening in the rest of the country. Like 99% of the public, I'm sure footballers and club staff have got complacent over the last few months which has contributed to the increase in positive cases. With testing only once or twice per week these positive cases could snowball.

Bearing in mind that it's far easier for footballers to lock down than it is us (as clubs will do everything for them), a 2 week break with players fully locked down at home would get a grip of the current spike in cases. Not only will it stop the spread but, providing players follow the lockdown, significantly reduce the number of positive tests within the PL. It would also act as a kick up the arse for players and remind them that they need to be careful.

Unfortunately I don't think there's room in the calendar for it, not without having a crazy run of fixtures later in the season.

I agree, but can see it being longer than 2 weeks given the time of year and how it's started to spiral again.

One way to free up some dates, would be to stop those pointless friendlies, plus it's not like one of those major tournaments hasn't been cancelled before.
 
Caporegime
Joined
22 Oct 2002
Posts
26,807
Location
Boston, Lincolnshire
League already decided what the cut off point will be earlier in the season didn't they? Wasn't it a minimum of 70% of the games had to be played or something? If there is another break, I can see that being used rather than screwing up another summer and next seasons start date.

:D

I would want the season finishing. Like I argued last season. We had all "easy" games left after playing all the harder teams and I was right. Utd ended up going from 5th to 3rd. Only issue is they cannot really delay the Euro's another year.
 
Associate
Joined
5 Sep 2020
Posts
296
No way the PL will continue. I think tomorrow will be the last round of games.

Not sure. The approval of the Oxford vaccine could be a "game changer". Looks like a race between the third wave fuelled by the new strain and the roll out of the 2 approved vaccines (at least to the most vulnerable).
 
Don
Joined
9 Jun 2004
Posts
46,152
yh because they are the only ones?
Please tell me who won't be available on Monday when we play Southampton that will be in 2 weeks time?
I agree, but can see it being longer than 2 weeks given the time of year and how it's started to spiral again.

One way to free up some dates, would be to stop those pointless friendlies, plus it's not like one of those major tournaments hasn't been cancelled before.
I wish it was that easy. Nobody wants to give up their games, not the FA & FIFA and certainly not UEFA with the Euros. I can just imagine the PL asking them to cancel their games so they can finish their competition - the answer will be "**** off, cancel your own games" or words to that effect. Ultimately this is why we've ended up with this crammed season. Nobody wanted to compromise so instead we ended up with the same number of games but within a shorter period.
 
Caporegime
Joined
21 Nov 2005
Posts
40,275
Location
Cornwall
Big Sam really is a massive **** isn't he. Joins WBA during a pandemic, sees he has a lot of work to do, wants more time to train his players so uses his age and COVD as a reason to justify a circuit breaker.

If he was that concerned he shouldn't have come back to football the gigantic **** wad.
 

fez

fez

Caporegime
Joined
22 Aug 2008
Posts
25,023
Location
Tunbridge Wells
Not sure. The approval of the Oxford vaccine could be a "game changer". Looks like a race between the third wave fuelled by the new strain and the roll out of the 2 approved vaccines (at least to the most vulnerable).

There is no race. We have spectacularly ****** that up. My partner is on covid wards all day and she has only just got the first dose. COVID is rampant again because people are selfish ***** who couldn't possibly behave with a modicome of consideration for others. Its out of control again and still people are refusing to wear masks and still holding illegal raves and still having the whole family over for christmas and still meeting up in large groups.

Between this and Brexit I have lost all respect and any pride I had for the UK.

Oh and good luck getting enough people to have the vaccine to get rid of COVID as quickly as possible. We have the anti-vaxxers which are thankfully a small proportion of the population, then we have the people who somehow think that Bill Gates is sneaking a chip into them, others that don't think its safe for whatever reason. Then we have probably the largest group and the people that have fueled a lot of the cases. The people who simply don't think that it will affect them if they do catch COVID so why on earth would they bother getting a vaccine or abiding by the rules. I'm alright so who gives a crap about anyone else.
 
Associate
Joined
5 Sep 2020
Posts
296
There is no race. We have spectacularly ****** that up. My partner is on covid wards all day and she has only just got the first dose. COVID is rampant again because people are selfish ***** who couldn't possibly behave with a modicome of consideration for others. Its out of control again and still people are refusing to wear masks and still holding illegal raves and still having the whole family over for christmas and still meeting up in large groups.

Between this and Brexit I have lost all respect and any pride I had for the UK.

Oh and good luck getting enough people to have the vaccine to get rid of COVID as quickly as possible. We have the anti-vaxxers which are thankfully a small proportion of the population, then we have the people who somehow think that Bill Gates is sneaking a chip into them, others that don't think its safe for whatever reason. Then we have probably the largest group and the people that have fueled a lot of the cases. The people who simply don't think that it will affect them if they do catch COVID so why on earth would they bother getting a vaccine or abiding by the rules. I'm alright so who gives a crap about anyone else.


What we need is to go out on our doorsteps every Thursday as 8pm and clap for carers. Joking. Seriously, your partner and everyone else in the NHS, care homes and other services have my respect and gratitude.

Lewis Goodall (BBC policy editor for News Night) just tweeted:
Been speaking to several London frontline doctors working in major hospitals. Picture isn’t great. One: “it’s a bit like a warzone. I’d say not far off where we were at in first wave in terms of capacity. But staff are completely demoralised and exhausted this time round.”
 
Caporegime
Joined
22 Oct 2002
Posts
26,807
Location
Boston, Lincolnshire
There is no race. We have spectacularly ****** that up. My partner is on covid wards all day and she has only just got the first dose. COVID is rampant again because people are selfish ***** who couldn't possibly behave with a modicome of consideration for others. Its out of control again and still people are refusing to wear masks and still holding illegal raves and still having the whole family over for christmas and still meeting up in large groups.

Between this and Brexit I have lost all respect and any pride I had for the UK.

Oh and good luck getting enough people to have the vaccine to get rid of COVID as quickly as possible. We have the anti-vaxxers which are thankfully a small proportion of the population, then we have the people who somehow think that Bill Gates is sneaking a chip into them, others that don't think its safe for whatever reason. Then we have probably the largest group and the people that have fueled a lot of the cases. The people who simply don't think that it will affect them if they do catch COVID so why on earth would they bother getting a vaccine or abiding by the rules. I'm alright so who gives a crap about anyone else.

I think "Key workers" are the only ones that are bothered. I work in food manufacturing and we have to wear face masks for twelve hours a day, everything is one way to promote social distancing and it has rubbed off on the workers and they are more responsible compared to last March yet when I see the general public it is quite staggering.

Tbh I would do anything to make sure football doesn't get cancelled as I have already watched Ole Gunnar Solksjaers 126 club goals compilation enough times already :p.

Saying that I will not have the vaccine either. I lost all trust when I had swine flu in 2009 and was prescribed tamiflu and came out in a red rash all over my body. Would rather wait and see what happens with this covid vaccine.
 
Back
Top Bottom