Neil Humphreys: EPL clubs cannot insist on ending season by June 30
Don't be fixated on dates, EPL
The English Premier League just cannot help itself.
A sporting organisation that was literally created to produce as much money as possible still fixates on the cash, even in a global crisis.
At a meeting today, the clubs will reportedly put forward a plan to complete the season by June 30, no matter what - proving again that it's all about the money.
Or, to be more specific, it's all about the potential legal ramifications of trying to retain the services of out-of-contract players and loan signings beyond June 30. And then it's all about the money.
Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, the EPL's tone-deaf responses to the crisis have never disappointed in their muddied indecision and self-centred thinking.
Focusing on the fine print of players' contracts when Covid-19 is killing so many people is crass and insensitive.
Honestly, who cares? Even allowing for one's blinkered devotion to the game's inherent tribalism, does anyone seriously believe that the legal minefield of extending a playing contract beyond June 30 should be a priority now?
At least nine EPL clubs do, according to a report in the Daily Mirror. Those nine intend to push for a definitive full stop to a harrowing campaign, by hook or by crook, on June 30.
If unfit players are sent out three times a week to complete the remaining nine or 10 games, it doesn't matter. They're only footballers.
If every fixture is played behind locked doors, it doesn't matter. They're only fans missing out.
If those fixtures pose a health risk to match-day staff inside the stadium, it doesn't matter. They're only non-playing staff. They'll be grateful for the income.
Clearly, playing contracts matter most. As many as 80 top-flight footballers - including Chelsea's Willian, Pedro Rodriguez and Olivier Giroud - may be legally entitled to grab their boot bag on June 30 and speed away from the training ground, leaving nothing but a cloud of dust and the bitter taste of resentment.
Considering the public relations eggshells that every footballer is tiptoeing around at the moment, careful not to overplay their isolation hardship in a multi-million-dollar mansion, who would be daft enough to walk out on a club on June 30?
On a PR spectrum, he'd be placed somewhere near those cat-breeding lunatics on the Tiger King documentary.
And that's assuming a temporary accommodation cannot be reached. Fifa has already issued guidelines that allow playing contracts to be extended beyond June 30, which is the very least that could be done in light of the tragic circumstances.
So what's the problem? Why the insensitive rush to pin down an exact date?
According to The Guardian, EPL club executives fear that English contractual law may override Fifa's stipulations and players could walk out on clubs.
Then let them walk.
Let them dip a toe into the volatile court of public opinion and see what verdict is handed down to those who wilfully seek to profit, both financially and professionally, straight after a global pandemic.
PROTECT RICE BOWLS
Of course, none of us are entirely selfless in this regard. Whether it's a British lockdown or a Singaporean circuit breaker, we all want to protect loved ones and rice bowls.
If rice bowls aren't protected, then loved ones are left vulnerable in any case.
Financial concerns are omnipresent, certainly, but they shouldn't be omnipotent, not while almost 1,000 people are still dying every day in Britain.
Covid-19 continues to call the shots now. It's an emasculating transition of power that many are struggling with, but it's still our inescapable reality.
EPL clubs must accept their lowly place in the current pecking order, just like the other major leagues.
Germany has banned all large-scale public events until Aug 31. An initial plan to play Bundesliga "ghost games" behind closed doors early next month is unlikely to go ahead at this stage.
In France, Ligue 1 hopes to resume on June 17 and end on July 25, but nothing is certain after French President Emmanuel Macron extended the country's lockdown.
Both France and Germany are ahead of Britain on the Covid-19 curve. Their death rates are falling faster.
So the EPL clubs' proposal to end the season on June 30, the same target date as the Bundesliga, feels premature, distasteful and even offensive to weary frontline workers dealing with the horrific crisis.
Protective equipment is a more pressing concern than dates on a worker's contract.
EPL executives should meet today and discuss contingency plans in a bid to be as prepared as possible, but a definitive end date has to be avoided, surely.
This is the one timetable that English football cannot dominate.
Covid-19 will determine when the season ends, not EPL executives.
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