Premier League clubs will meet Friday to discuss the possibility of June 30 being the final day of the season regardless of circumstances. June 30 is a day that leaves plenty of headaches for clubs in the division as it is signifies the official final day of the 2019-20 season and the beginning of the 2020-21 campaign. Player contracts will expire at midnight on the day and clubs like Liverpool are set to begin a new kit contract on July 1.
It is just another problem that has been sprung up by the coronavirus pandemic. Although some options have been kicked around such as players signing rolling contracts to remain at their current clubs after June 30, there remain problems with such ideas. For one, players cannot be forced to sign rolling deals even though the world sits in an unprecedented circumstance due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Several scenarios have been presented for the end of the season including awarding Liverpool the title (which is deserved) and finishing the season as is with nine games to go in the campaign. In addition, there is an idea of promoting both Leeds United and West Brom to the Premier League and not relegating any of the clubs from the Premier League. The division would then compete with 22 teams in 2020-21 which would increase the number of league matches and stop the Premier League from refunding broadcasters money.
However, a solution such as a 22-team division would cause a knock-on effect to the leagues below the Premier League. It would also, theoretically, weaken the Premier League next term and five clubs would be relegated to bring it back to 20 teams. With so many issues, there is the likelihood that no deadline for the season’s end will be made.
The Bundesliga has returned to training and hopes to begin play once more at the end of May behind closed doors. Serie A is also hoping to return in May while La Liga may not be far behind. France’s Ligue 1 isn’t expected to begin play before June 15. The return of each league shows just how different each is in the coronavirus battle and when they peaked. On a bright note, although there are few right now, according to statistics on registered deaths from Worldometer, it would seem that the United Kingdom has plateaued in the number of COVID-19 registered deaths. However, many more deaths are attributed to the disease.
The UK has extended its current lockdown for three more weeks making it a seven-week period of closure to non-essential businesses. Sunday May 10th could be the earliest the UK gets back to work and Premier League football clubs can start training once more. It will take a few weeks for teams to train before they can get back to playing matches full-time.
Premier League clubs are said to be ready to do everything they can to finish the season and not void it. With 29 games played, it seems silly to void the season in the first place. Regardless, the league could still continue on past the June 30 proposed deadline.
