Kilmarnock v Motherwell

[G51]

5 minutes ago, craigkillie said:

The clubs were informed of all of this before the decision to proceed with the season as normal was taken. The Betfred Group stages are being played during the international break when top flight clubs wouldn't normally have games anyway, and clubs have already been told that they may have to play three or four times in a week to fit in fixtures if they have to.

In the case of this game, we will be able to play Motherwell in any of the UEFA midweek dates between October and December, so there is absolutely no issue in terms of scheduling.

That's fine when we have outbreaks and games postponed in October. The issue is going to be when we have outbreaks and games postponed in March and April.

What is the plan when that happens? Has this even been considered?

[Phillips455]

It appears that the SPFL are going to set up an investigation beford scheduling a new date. You who what that means!

SPIN. THE. WHEEL!

 

[Mr Positive, sometimes.]

19 minutes ago, G51 said:

Then we need to ask whether we have made sufficient provisions in the scheduling for re-arranging postponed fixtures. Because whether we like it or not, cancelling games is going to happen - it has already happened and will continue to happen.

Did we need a Betfred Cup Group Stage? Was going with a 38 game season sensible? All questions that need to be answered. If it ends up that the SPFL and SFA came up with the wrong answers to these questions then it's unforgivable.

The club's haven't asked for anything other than a normal season so that's what they've got. The SPFL aren't the decision makers. 

Scottish football margins are already tight. Scrapping whole stages of competitions or numbers of fixtures no doubt comes with financial penalties either from sponsors being due a refund or through having to reduce season ticket price as there's just less games. Clubs were given the choice to opt out of League cup and probably due to financial reasons they've all signed up. 

I'm not sure what they could have done to plan for games that get called off that would have actually got voted through?

The least impactful decision from a Premiership stand point would have been to reduce to 33 games. Couldn't see the club's giving up 2/3 home games just in case other games were called off. That's before you consider the 4 Old Firm Sky issue. 

Rock and a hard place.

[santheman]

A Well statement reads: “Kilmarnock FC applied to the SPFL board for a cancellation of the fixture. This has been granted. Motherwell FC believes the right course of action has been taken, in order to protect players and staff of both clubs. We wish those affected by the virus a speedy recovery to full health.

Kilmarnock’s statement says: “Our entire first-team squad have been advised to self-isolate until October 14. This is in order to minimise the risk of further cases in the player and other staff groups at the club, in the wider local community, and to support Test and Protect.

“The SPFL Board met this afternoon and agreed to our request to postpone the fixture and an investigation will now be carried out by the league around the circumstances leading to the postponement.”

 

Looks like it was the SPFL that made the decision and not the health authorities 

[DukDukGoose]

It's really unfortunate that Allan Campbell won't get to bow out in style.

[Godric1970]

i said the game against Hamilton shouldn't have gone ahead last weekend ... i wouldn't be surprised if that's where our players got it from  .... either way every player in the SPL needs tested ASAP to see how widespread it is in the game  in Scotland 

[DukDukGoose]

Just now, Godric1970 said:

i said the game against Hamilton shouldn't have gone ahead last weekend ... i wouldn't be surprised if that's where our players got it from  .... either way every player in the SPL needs tested ASAP to see how widespread it is in the game  in Scotland 

Is that a joke?

[craigkillie]

i said the game against Hamilton shouldn't have gone ahead last weekend ... i wouldn't be surprised if that's where our players got it from  .... either way every player in the SPL needs tested ASAP to see how widespread it is in the game  in Scotland 

The remaining Hamilton players were tested several times before our game, and ours were also tested at least twice in the week afterwards. Premiership players are already tested twice a week, that's how our outbreak got caught.

[Godric1970]

1 minute ago, Merkland Red said:

Is that a joke?

not every player is being tested every day as far as i know  ... only those with symptons and a test before the game 

[Dons_1988]

3 minutes ago, Merkland Red said:

Is that a joke?

He's right. I think they will all be tested this coming week and possibly again to make sure.

[DukDukGoose]

1 minute ago, Godric1970 said:

not every player is being tested every day as far as i know  ... only those with symptons and a test before the game 

Not every day no but as @craigkillie says players are tested at least twice a week.

[Sortmeout]

1 hour ago, ZingaliMan said:

The St Mirren game should have been cancelled that's the bottom line.

Are you claiming that the SPFL forced St Mirren to play despite the local health authority telling them not to?

I love a good dig at the SPFL but I don’t really see what they could have done differently. St Mirren were able to get a keeper in, a keeper who has made numerous top flight appearances over the last couple of seasons. Based on the comments in the match thread I would guess if I gave 100 St Mirren fans the option between Bobby Zlamal and Danny Rogers the majority would pick Zlamal.

I was fully prepared for us, like St Mirren, to have to play our game. I was also fully prepared to absolutely hammer the SPFL if we played but at a later date either of the Glasgow clubs were allowed to postpone games for missing a few players which I’m sure most of us agree will probably happen.

If St Mirren had been forced to play a youth team against Hibs because everyone was out and we were treated differently then I would agree it’s very unfair. The goalkeeper situation for St Mirren was both unfortunate and unfair but it feels like every club will have some kind of issue at some stage this season.

As for Celtic and Aberdeen it’s quite obvious to anyone that those clubs were being punished by the Scottish Government - maybe made an example of is a better phrase than being punished. Yes it worked out better for Aberdeen but Nicola Sturgeon won’t care about that. I think the SPFL would have made Aberdeen play their game too if they had the option.

Football isn’t really that important at the end of the day. 

[Godric1970]

9 minutes ago, Merkland Red said:

Not every day no but as @craigkillie says players are tested at least twice a week.

well  have 6 players with the virus after playing both St Mirren and Hamilton in a trot both clubs which had/have problems with the virus prior to playing them   

[Mr Positive, sometimes.]

16 minutes ago, Godric1970 said:

i said the game against Hamilton shouldn't have gone ahead last weekend ... i wouldn't be surprised if that's where our players got it from  .... either way every player in the SPL needs tested ASAP to see how widespread it is in the game  in Scotland 

Players have been tested twice since last weekend. 

If they did catch it from those games, surely the players they'd caught it from would also be testing positive by now?

[Godric1970]

1 minute ago, Mr Positive, sometimes. said:

Players have been tested twice since last weekend. 

If they did catch it from those games, surely the players they'd caught it from would also be testing positive by now?

we never had it before those two games now we have a outbreak ... ayrshire is not one of the areas being hit hard with the virus  it's Glasgow area and Lanarkshire  ... both games should not have went ahead ... i said on the killie facebook page it was  a potential danger to the health of our players 

[G51]

26 minutes ago, Mr Positive, sometimes. said:

The club's haven't asked for anything other than a normal season so that's what they've got. The SPFL aren't the decision makers. 

Scottish football margins are already tight. Scrapping whole stages of competitions or numbers of fixtures no doubt comes with financial penalties either from sponsors being due a refund or through having to reduce season ticket price as there's just less games. Clubs were given the choice to opt out of League cup and probably due to financial reasons they've all signed up. 

I'm not sure what they could have done to plan for games that get called off that would have actually got voted through?

The least impactful decision from a Premiership stand point would have been to reduce to 33 games. Couldn't see the club's giving up 2/3 home games just in case other games were called off. That's before you consider the 4 Old Firm Sky issue. 

Rock and a hard place.

The SPFL are the decision makers, because the SPFL is the clubs. If you're talking about the executive arm of the SPFL, i.e. it's employees, then this isn't true either, because as we've seen very recently Doncaster and the board often lobby within the organisation for votes to go a certain way, hence why they make recommendations. You can't claim that Neil Doncaster isn't a decision maker when he sits on the board and attempts to influence votes.

It was the job of the SPFL executive to come up with a season schedule and if we cannot finish the season then they will have failed and need to be accountable. It must surely be the final straw for Doncaster in particular, who has presided over a serious of disasters during his tenure.

[Jim McLean's Ghost]

2 minutes ago, Godric1970 said:

we never had it before those two games now we have a outbreak ... ayrshire is not one of the areas being hit hard with the virus  it's Glasgow area and Lanarkshire  ... both games should not have went ahead ... i said on the killie facebook page it was  a potential danger to the health of our players 

How many of your players live in Glasgow and Lanarkshire?

[Busta Nut]

How many of them were at this dodgy poker game?

[ZingaliMan]

13 minutes ago, Sortmeout said:

Are you claiming that the SPFL forced St Mirren to play despite the local health authority telling them not to?

I love a good dig at the SPFL but I don’t really see what they could have done differently. St Mirren were able to get a keeper in, a keeper who has made numerous top flight appearances over the last couple of seasons. Based on the comments in the match thread I would guess if I gave 100 St Mirren fans the option between Bobby Zlamal and Danny Rogers the majority would pick Zlamal.

I was fully prepared for us, like St Mirren, to have to play our game. I was also fully prepared to absolutely hammer the SPFL if we played but at a later date either of the Glasgow clubs were allowed to postpone games for missing a few players which I’m sure most of us agree will probably happen.

If St Mirren had been forced to play a youth team against Hibs because everyone was out and we were treated differently then I would agree it’s very unfair. The goalkeeper situation for St Mirren was both unfortunate and unfair but it feels like every club will have some kind of issue at some stage this season.

As for Celtic and Aberdeen it’s quite obvious to anyone that those clubs were being punished by the Scottish Government - maybe made an example of is a better phrase than being punished. Yes it worked out better for Aberdeen but Nicola Sturgeon won’t care about that. I think the SPFL would have made Aberdeen play their game too if they had the option.

Football isn’t really that important at the end of the day. 

If you look up online I'm sure you will dig up. St Mirren were told if they have 11 fit outfield players to put one in goals the game must go ahead. Also take into account no training was done on the Friday all staff was told to stay away before the game . 

Edited October 2, 2020 by ZingaliMan

[Jim McLean's Ghost]

SPFL to investigate if Killie are riddled because they haven't followed the guidance on training. Why is it spreading between their squad compared to St Mirren who had 2 positive tests and no further spread to the rest of the squad.

Hodson and Alnwick share a house so neither caught it at training.