With Coronavirus bringing all professional football around the globe to a standstill, the discussion of what will happen to the 2019/20 Premier League season has picked up substantial importance to football fans not only in England but all over the world.
Many possible solutions to the issue caused by the pandemic have been raised and one that is looking to be the most likely to be put in place is finishing the remainder of the season in a two month period, with games played daily in a World Cup format known as ‘Project Restart’.
Declaring the premature end to the season, such as what has happened in France and Holland is a method that Premier League officials are trying to avoid, as completing the campaign in the safest way possible is their top priority.
Despite no definitive date or plan for how the season will finish has come to fruition Premier League fans could be looking at the summer months of June and July to catch their favourite team back in action, all be it through a television screen.
Talks of where this intense end to the season could be held are still ongoing but St. Georges Park looks like it could be a location which would allow the season to be finalised, due to the accommodation and state-of-the-art footballing facilities available to them.
Being able to set a concrete date for the return of the sport millions of people love up and down the country would provide a much-needed lift to the nation which has been placed on lockdown for the best part of two months.
However, with no clear indication of when the lockdown restrictions will be lifted, it cannot be said if the proposed summer tournament will go ahead.
The feel-good factor that the country would be flooded with, if the Premier League was to make a return, is something that could completely change the population's opinions on the current situation, but the safety of the players, staff and coaches of each club must be a guarantee.
Premier League ace Sergio Aguero of Manchester City has recently revealed why the players from all over the country have serious fears about returning to football so soon.
"The majority of players are scared because they have children and families,” The Argentine international began.
"I'm scared, but I'm with my girlfriend here and I'm not going to be in contact with other people. I'm locked in my house and the only person I could infect is my girlfriend.
Aguero, who currently has an incredible 180 Premier League goals under his belt continued to express the severity of Covid-19.
“They're saying that there are people that have it and don't have any symptoms but still infect you. That's why I am here at home. Maybe I have the illness and I don't even know."
If the Premier League does deem the conditions of playing out the remainder of the campaign as safe for all involved, then it would only have a positive impact on all of those waiting until a ball is finally kicked again.
The significance of having live football would be monumental, not only for the football fanatics but for the Premier League as well.
Doubts that a tournament-style finale would damage the integrity of the league would be squandered alongside the opinion that achievements made by clubs during this period would be forever tainted by the situation.
The sheer relief of finishing the season would be extraordinary and would be remembered for lifetimes. The intense, compact style which is being proposed could cause it to become one of the most memorable ends to the season in England’s top-flight history.
Imagine all the anticipation, passion and excitement which surrounds a major summer tournament but from each one of the 20 teams currently occupying what is known as the best league in the world. It has the potential to create scenes of emotion that have never been seen before.
With dates having yet to be confirmed some plans have already started being set out in preparation for ‘Project Restart’ to get the all-clear to commence. Players from all top-flight clubs have been told training, all be it in small groups, could start as early as May 12, before gradually starting to increase contact levels between individuals.
This plan is set up with the idea of competitive action resuming on June 12 where all the games, if played, will be behind closed doors with no games overlapping allowing television coverage to reach the maximum audience.
July 27 will be a key date for many as this is when the proposed plan is set to fulfil the goal of completion, and the Premier League season will finally reach its conclusion.
‘Project Restart’ would be a great period for many if it is allowed to get underway however, for now, everyone will have to wait before the beautiful game is permitted to continue.
This article was written exclusively for Golear.co.uk
Comments