Football poised to return

RETURN OF THE DUTIFUL GAME

The English Premier League is poised to return this month, giving millions of fans the chance to get their first real football fix since The Beautiful Game was mothballed as the nation went into lockdown to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Although there have been TV re-runs of pivotal games – and even tournaments – at home and abroad during the weeks of isolation, the EPL has identified the 17th June for the return of the most-lucrative league on the planet.

Possibly.

If we’re lucky.

If it’s safe.

Because, although they face a potential £762million rebate on their broadcast income and the threat of several of their member clubs plunging into severe financial difficulties, safety has been on the agenda at their many meetings to decide when – or if – the game can resume this summer. Since the decision to postpone the season, debate has raged over the viability of a return. Indeed, teams on the lower rungs of the football ladder have seen their leagues cancelled, campaigns expunged from the history books. Even League Two clubs decided to curtail their season while the European Championship was shunted back a year.

Across Europe, governments of countries – such as France, Belgium and Holland – also decided the risks were too great and ended their seasons. However, Spain’s La Liga and Italy’s Serie A have been working on plans to return this summer, while the German Bundesliga resumed last month.

But any resumption of EPL, as well as Championship or League One, will have to satisfy criteria laid down by Public Health England and sanctioned by the Government.

With nine or 10 games still to play, the Premier League has ploughed ahead with ‘Project Restart’, insisting their priority is the well-being of players, coaches, managers, club staff and, most importantly, supporters and the wider community.

There were plans for games to be at neutral venues, but only if safety protocol could be met. But such a scheme would rule out champions-elect Liverpool from staging any games. So, home and away games it is then. Or is it? And what about the FA Cup? Where does that fit in? Or for that matter the Champions and Europa Leagues?

The only thing that is certain is that, when it does return, matches will be behind closed doors, largely because the Government is set firmly against any mass gatherings.

Which leads to one small, but apparently not insignificant, conundrum. It is often said players stimulate the crowd to generate atmosphere to lift them, so what about crowd noise? Clearly, these professional athletes have never played Sunday League …

Football. It’s never dull.

Top Flight football to return on the 17th June with 30 games on ‘Free-to-Air’ TV