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Restart the season? West Ham and league better to not

By Scott Johnson

LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 02: A general view of The London Stadium, home to West Ham United as it lights up to thanks the NHS on April 02, 2020 in London, United Kingdom. Members of the public are being encouraged to applaud NHS staff and other key workers from their homes for a second week, after the success of last week's "Clap for Our Carers" campaign. The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has spread to many countries across the world, claiming over 40,000 lives and infecting hundreds of thousands more. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 02: A general view of The London Stadium, home to West Ham United as it lights up to thanks the NHS on April 02, 2020 in London, United Kingdom. Members of the public are being encouraged to applaud NHS staff and other key workers from their homes for a second week, after the success of last week's "Clap for Our Carers" campaign. The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has spread to many countries across the world, claiming over 40,000 lives and infecting hundreds of thousands more. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images) /
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The world of sport has been hit badly by this virus. But our desire to see West Ham on the pitch shouldn’t push us to make foolish decisions.

Ever since the cases outside of China started growing, the world of sport has had to adapt to new information. Then the conversation changed from if things would be closed to when they would, then to when they would be able to restart.

The UK has seen thousands of deaths and a swamped medical system but is starting to turn a corner. Opening up the Premier League and getting West Ham playing may seem like a good option. But we’re best to let this one go.

Although things are looking better, all it takes is some bad social management and we’re going to be seeing those numbers ramp up again. Germany started to lower restrictions last week and is already talking about putting them back up. The UK has had far more deaths and has a much higher population density than Germany, so the flare-up could well be worse.

So things will take time. And, despite my deep missing of weekly football, there are things we need to be able to sort before the Premier League. People need to be able to work and socialise, get the nation back on its feet.

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The most likely scenario, if the Premier League does come back, is it being played behind closed doors. How will that be broadcast? To only those with sky? Only select matches? Well, you then create a massive broadcaster monopoly. Or are new companies going to be able to stream the others, meaning we have to pay for 5 different services? Certain clubs on each broadcaster? Maybe that could work, but there is a lot of paperwork to sort here, even in the most simple of scenarios.

And then the players and staff themselves, what if one of them contracts the virus? Is all play then off again? Is that team and the last one they played against then restricted from play for two weeks? And are these people really worthy of people tested repeatedly when those in more dangerous roles are being denied tests without symptoms anyway?

For me, re-opening the league opens up more questions than it solves, and I don’t think there’s a way to do it without a huge risk of having it all shut down again. And then we’re in a worse spot because of contract issues, payment to non-playing staff and running costs. It’s just easier for me to focus on ensuring that everything is ok for next season.

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As for the league positions, titles and relegations I don’t think there’s a good way to solve it. Either way, someone is angry. Ligue 1 have handed PSG the title and relegated those at the bottom, so maybe that’s the way UEFA and FIFA will lean. I don’t mind what happens, and I think the grief of those people involved in not winning a title or being relegated without a finished season is better to deal with than grief of increased deaths from re-started before it’s all under control.