London (AFP)
The English Premier League is the most followed football championship in the world ... but it struggles to sketch a recovery plan, with timid advances, when other European countries, like Germany, are already thinking about the field despite the coronavirus pandemic.
- A strong desire to translate into action -
"I think the Premier League can end" its season, Wolverhampton forward Diogo Jota told the BBC on Monday. "Almost every country in the world considers the Premier League to be one of the championships to follow, so it is essential that we end the season," he said.
This determination to go to the end is shared by all, as much for reasons of sports equity as of financial survival. According to a study by the audit firm KPMG published in March, a final halt to the Premier League season would generate a loss of 1.15 to 1.25 billion euros, between TV rights, advertising revenue and ticketing.
But the Premier League remains vague and its regular meetings have the air of brainstorming to find a plan that holds water.
Among the countries most affected in Europe by the Covid-19, with more than 21,000 dead in its hospitals, the United Kingdom is not yet certain of having passed the peak of the pandemic.
It is therefore difficult to plan when everything will largely depend on government decisions concerning the containment measures in place at least until May 7.
And caution is required in England against the example of Italian Serie A, cooled by the Sunday announcements of the head of government Giuseppe Conte, who postponed until May 18 a possible resumption of training for footballers.
- The "Project Restart" -
If the resumption of competitions does not yet stir the public debate, we are active behind the scenes and the Premier League clubs timidly advance their pawns.
On Monday, four clubs, including Arsenal, reopened their player training centers, with very supervised access limited to individual sessions. Other clubs have already asked their players to be ready for resumption of training in the second week of May.
These one-sided measurements look like test balloons.
The Times revealed on Monday the existence of "Project Restart", a road map to end the season at all costs.
This scenario plans to resume training on May 18 - with social distancing measures to be defined - for three weeks of preparation before a resumption of matches on June 8.
The 92 league games, as well as 7 games of the English Cup, still to be played would be held between June 8 and July 27, in camera and in a reduced number of stadiums to limit travel.
A very degraded version of the championship but which shows the extent of the sacrifices for which English football is ready.
"It will be strange. It is a horrible experience, when you are used to playing in front of a large audience (...) but we will be playing behind closed doors for months and months - probably until next year. There will have to be a reason, "said former player Gary Neville.
- A caring but careful government -
The Times assured on Monday that the British government would welcome a return to sports competitions as soon as conditions allow, if only to boost the morale of citizens sometimes critical of its handling of the pandemic.
"Trying to find a way to have a sport respecting social distancing as much as possible, behind closed doors and respecting good public health practices, I think it's worth exploring," commented on the radio. Health Minister Matt Hancock on Tuesday, saying he did not know the details of the "Project Restart".
However, he did not want to comment on the date of June 8.
"It is doable, but there is a lot of work to do (...) It will depend on whether we manage to implement these practical things, as well as on the evolution of the virus. It is too early right now, I can tell you that, "he continued.
© 2020 AFP