Coronavirus and the Scottish Championship

[vikingTON]

Some truly sheltered living going on down there in the Borders. The idea that 'elite' sport is only getting a sanction to resume by keeping to outdated protocol is also hilariously naïve. The real reason why it is has permission to resume is because it is a professional industry and as much a part of the economy as the local pub or a small trader. The fate of your weekly seven a side game does not hold the same economic sway with the SG as the financial stability of the entire SPFL and so for that obvious reason it won't start on the same basis. 

I'm also loving the idea btw that the SG is genuinely expecting plumbers and builders etc. at part-time clubs to somehow stay within their magic bubble of team mates/family only contact while also doing their day job. 

Edited August 7, 2020 by vikingTON

[Derry Alli]

4 minutes ago, Skyline Drifter said:

Have you ever seen a motorway? 

No, are those banned just now too? 

[TxRover]

2 hours ago, Scary Bear said:

 

I suspect the dynamic risk assessment carried out by the Aberdeen players wasn’t good. What age were they?

The actual players “grounded” haven’t been named, but the players actually playing in the Rangers game (15 total) were 19, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 25, 28, 29, 32, 33, 33, 33 and 33. The remaining bench was 20, 26, 27, 32 and 35. There’s a pretty fair chance we’ll know who it was soon, and we’ll see.

[welshbairn]

Trying to gradually release the lockdown by controlled steps is so square, I mean let it all go, see what happens man. All the cool kids are just hey, who cares, everything's over, we do what we want. Murca's doing just fine.

 

Edited August 7, 2020 by welshbairn

[Derry Alli]

Dundee City Centre, half an hour ago. 

[Skyline Drifter]

52 minutes ago, TxRover said:

The actual players “grounded” haven’t been named, but the players actually playing in the Rangers game (15 total) were 19, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 25, 28, 29, 32, 33, 33, 33 and 33. The remaining bench was 20, 26, 27, 32 and 35. There’s a pretty fair chance we’ll know who it was soon, and we’ll see.

It took me about 20 seconds of googling this afternoon to get all 8 names and a photo of them sitting at a table in said bar. I think anyone who cares already knows. 

Edited August 8, 2020 by Skyline Drifter

[Finlay21]

7 hours ago, Mr. Alli said:

Dundee City Centre, half an hour ago. 

And people wonder why fans are not being allowed in grounds ! It’s when the government keep seeing groups like this not following guidelines , there is no way they are going to trust supporters at a football match , looking forward to a season of no fans allowed if this continues, 

[vikingTON]

Whether fans are allowed in or not will be solely determined by whether the virus is deemed controllable by effective elimination/treatment and so the country moving onto Phase 4 of easing restrictions (which the SG has rowed back from even before the Aberdeen lockdown). It will have absolutely nothing to do with moralising about whether people right now are 'sticking to the rules!!!!111!!!!' nor a completely groundless estimation of whether football fans are any more likely to do so. But if this pointless, Helen Lovejoy exercise in self-righteousness gets you all through it right now then knock yourselves out I guess.

I certainly wouldn't be buying a season ticket with an expectation of attending games given the current direction of travel though and nor would I be handing out long-term deals if I were running a football club.

[Rudolph Hucker]

1 hour ago, virginton said:

I certainly wouldn't be buying a season ticket with an expectation of attending games given the current direction of travel though and nor would I be handing out long-term deals if I were running a football club.

^^^ 100% this, especially the bit in bold. 

[Skyline Drifter]

30 minutes ago, Rudolph Hucker said:

^^^ 100% this, especially the bit in bold. 

Yep, its an uncertain future and with the Govt already ruled out any future furloughing , the number of clubs, especially at this level, handing out 2 and 3 year deals now is a surprise.

[Guest Flash]

 Is the next transfer window in January as usual? Meaning players could be replaced after 10 league games? I suppose the halfway point falls in January anyway. Just wondering if any clubs would consider only signing players for 3 or 4 months if they are worried that the season might not complete. Maybe not allowed or maybe no player would agree to it.

[Stag Nation]

12 hours ago, RandomGuy. said:

This.

Pitches up from me have both pitches being used every night, sometimes by four different teams.

So when both pitches were being used by fewer than four different teams., how did that work?

[rb123!]

4 hours ago, Robbo63 said:

And people wonder why fans are not being allowed in grounds ! It’s when the government keep seeing groups like this not following guidelines , there is no way they are going to trust supporters at a football match , looking forward to a season of no fans allowed if this continues, 

Don't want to be a downer but i definitely can't see fans in grounds in October put it that way. 

Way things are going i reckon probably January 2021 if you're lucky. 

The way it's spreading in crowded places likes pubs just now i wouldn't be surprised if they're shut in the coming weeks which makes people crowding at a football match impossible to see happening soon.

[LeodhasXD]

1 minute ago, rb123! said:

Don't want to be a downer but i definitely can't see fans in grounds in October put it that way. 

Way things are going i reckon probably January 2021 if you're lucky. 

The way it's spreading in crowded places likes pubs just now i wouldn't be surprised if they're shut in the coming weeks which makes people crowding at a football match impossible to see happening soon.

2 hours ago, virginton said:

I certainly wouldn't be buying a season ticket with an expectation of attending games

 

Seems Alloa are going to be doing, and it sounds like Morton too, is even after fans go back to stadiums you can still watch it online if you want to.

I'd say getting back to games being a bonus but...having sat and watched the Champions League last night. It was really enjoyable - on discord group call with my mates - comfy chair with a beer in hand.

We've all been to the games in the depths of winter where you're cradling your hand on a hot cup hoping the frostbite doesn't set in. Hope the streaming is a rip-roaring success and we can scrap the blackout rule next season as well.

[BFTD]

2 minutes ago, LeodhasXD said:

Seems Alloa are going to be doing, and it sounds like Morton too, is even after fans go back to stadiums you can still watch it online if you want to.

I'd say getting back to games being a bonus but...having sat and watched the Champions League last night. It was really enjoyable - on discord group call with my mates - comfy chair with a beer in hand.

We've all been to the games in the depths of winter where you're cradling your hand on a hot cup hoping the frostbite doesn't set in. Hope the streaming is a rip-roaring success and we can scrap the blackout rule next season as well.

Glad to read that. For a variety of reasons, some related to Coronavirus, it looks like I'll struggle to make it along to the Recs in person this season, so it's good to know I'll be able to sit down with the family and watch your quality output instead  

[craigkillie]

16 minutes ago, rb123! said:

Don't want to be a downer but i definitely can't see fans in grounds in October put it that way. 

Way things are going i reckon probably January 2021 if you're lucky. 

The way it's spreading in crowded places likes pubs just now i wouldn't be surprised if they're shut in the coming weeks which makes people crowding at a football match impossible to see happening soon.

Professional football stadiums are not the same as pubs for any number of reasons though. First of all, they're outdoors rather than indoors, which appears to be important given that the Scottish government have different rules for both. Second, and most importantly, there are far fewer football stadiums than there are pubs, and therefore it is substantially easier for a government to check compliance.

"The way it's spreading" in Scotland at least, appears to be limited to a very small handful of localised outbreaks, all of which seem to be getting identified in dealt with in a fairly timely manner.

[vikingTON]

22 minutes ago, LeodhasXD said:

 

Seems Alloa are going to be doing, and it sounds like Morton too, is even after fans go back to stadiums you can still watch it online if you want to.

I'd say getting back to games being a bonus but...having sat and watched the Champions League last night. It was really enjoyable - on discord group call with my mates - comfy chair with a beer in hand.

We've all been to the games in the depths of winter where you're cradling your hand on a hot cup hoping the frostbite doesn't set in. Hope the streaming is a rip-roaring success and we can scrap the blackout rule next season as well.

Some people will view it that way but I for one have very little appetite for watching some live stream link to a Championship game held behind closed doors: certainly not at the £14 per game price set by the Morton season ticket and I doubt that access to streaming individual matches will be set at a much lower price than that either. I can continue contributing to the club financially through our fan ownership scheme anyway so feel no obligation to pay extra for a product that won't be good value or particularly enjoyable. 

[Bairnardo]

Professional football stadiums are not the same as pubs for any number of reasons though. First of all, they're outdoors rather than indoors, which appears to be important given that the Scottish government have different rules for both. Second, and most importantly, there are far fewer football stadiums than there are pubs, and therefore it is substantially easier for a government to check compliance.
"The way it's spreading" in Scotland at least, appears to be limited to a very small handful of localised outbreaks, all of which seem to be getting identified in dealt with in a fairly timely manner.

Masks can be mandated in stadiums too without any ill effect on what you are paying for, which cant really be said for the social setting of a pub.

[vikingTON]

35 minutes ago, craigkillie said:

Professional football stadiums are not the same as pubs for any number of reasons though. First of all, they're outdoors rather than indoors, which appears to be important given that the Scottish government have different rules for both. Second, and most importantly, there are far fewer football stadiums than there are pubs, and therefore it is substantially easier for a government to check compliance.

"The way it's spreading" in Scotland at least, appears to be limited to a very small handful of localised outbreaks, all of which seem to be getting identified in dealt with in a fairly timely manner.

The mistake that you're making though is trying to apply an objective assessment of risk to what are in reality politically determined decisions. Football grounds pose less of a risk than indoor pubs for all sorts of reasons but pubs went in Phase 3 and crowds at grounds in Phase 4 because the hospitality sector is deemed much more important from an economic viewpoint. Schools pose a massively greater risk than either but will be allowed to fire ahead with no credible control measures in place from this week in many parts of the country (and quite possibly still in Aberdeen itself from the following week) because the government doesn't want to take it in the neck from nippy parents who want their glorified state childcare back. 

 

Edited August 8, 2020 by vikingTON

[DeeTillEhDeh]

^^^ 100% this, especially the bit in bold. 

This must be an alternate reality - but you are agreeing with VT.