Judging EBTs : guilty does his bit for sporting integrity and looks at the rules to pertaining who wins what and why when the league championship is brought to an abrupt and unexpected end….
I’ve been firing emails to news agencies all day about the SPFL having the capability to finish league early rather than voiding it.
At this stage in the proceedings, their usual lack of leadership has led to various experts giving their own opinions on exactly what should be done and why, and yet it’s all immaterial.
It would be nice if they decided to either end the season or simply postpone it.
As they have so far failed to clarify what will happen, speculation has evolved into fantasy for some experts…
Experts such as Alex Rae, who is an example of what happens when someone not entirely qualified for a job gets handed the chance to show why he shouldn’t have been given the job.
Alex is employed by one or two media outlets to offer his opinion, usually in crayon, on matters pertaining to Scottish football.
He’s prone to getting a little confused, however, and on the current debate as to whether or not Celtic should be handed the title if the competition is suspended he offered this analogy…
If a horse race over a mile starts and one horse is 10 lengths clear and the rest have fallen and the lead horse falls at the last hurdle do they give the lead horse the win as he was in front + does the bookies pay out as a winner ??? Asking for a friend ?
Not the best analogy, as you can see, in fact, one could argue it’s scarcely an analogy. It’s just some words, not necessarily in the right order, which he uses to suggest that the league isn’t finished because none of the clubs have got over the line.
I think.
Although it did spark a bit of debate…
If a Horse Race has a heavily doped horse & it wins 9 races in a row but toll of cheating means a Vet has to put the horse down, and the owner of the horse sells its name & history to a different horse owner who uses the name. Do the old wins still count?
from a number of people…
Michael Stewart, the pundit placed into self isolation by the BBC when he infected their airwaves with an opinion that didn’t match their guidelines, countered…
Alex didn’t take that lying down, though he probably should have…
Agreed. In these unprecedented times, partisan rhetoric isn’t a one way street, although fact based opinion is a much better option as ur always keen to point out.
So, to close the debate, here is some fact based opinion….courtesy of the rulebook.
Remember, there are no plans to shut the season down, only media speculation, and it’s more than likely it will restarted at the point it left off when the global health crisis has eased.
And there’s no need for talk of postponements or what happens when leagues are abandoned, when there is already a clause covering the length of a season.
Under page 23 of the existing rules :
“Season means the period of the year commencing on the date of the first League Match in a Season and ending on the date of the last League Match in the same Season or otherwise as determined by the Board and which excludes the Close Season”
This in fact means if the SPFL board decides the league shouldn’t fulfil the rest of it’s fixtures, all leagues finish as is and the appropriate action is taken for each clubs position in that league.
It’s up to them.
This is, in fact, what all clubs agreed to at start of the season with this document dated 22nd July 2019.
I understand we’re in uncharted waters here, but I don’t see how any club can mount a legal challenge against such a decision.
When it’s already part of the leagues rules and regulations.
The facts, not an opinion. Though we can hardly expect the SMSM to suddenly start taking any notice of facts….
And although the SFA/SPFL and whichever entity is working out of Ibrox may want to change those rules, even Peter Lawwell might argue that this is one rule he won’t ignore when oit comes to allocating champions League spots next season….
The season can’t end yet, we’ve still the cup to win to collect the quadruple Treble, the huns would just love us to miss out on that. HH.
That rule above maybe interpreted as “league”, i.e. end the league as is and play the cups only………
I see you are getting involved 🙂
I’ve not seen TicToc on yet….
CS (.)
How can you trust the Scottish football governing bodies, to do the right thing? When they have broken all of their own rules to suit one club. Greed, avarice, over-ambition, was the disease before the Corona-virus. A deep clean from top to bottom is needed, until it gets it, Scottish football is Donald Ducked.
Been thinking about this for a couple of days now and here’s my solution.
Once the pandemic is over, play all competitions, domestic and European to a finish and cancel the Euro’s until next season. If finishing this seasons competitions overlaps into next season, cancel next seasons Champions league and Europa league and use up midweek to catch up on domestic backlog, after all the domestic game is the “bread and butter” of football and is for the many not the few. As a charitable leaning club and support I would hope that most would agree!!
Again, a sensible plan.Good stuff. Cheers.
I wont hold my breath
Please do…..
Wayne Rooney , writing in His column in the Sunday Times…(already this sounds like nonsense?) has said premiership players have been treated like guinea pigs ???
Yeah 100 grand a week guinea pigs , where do I sign up ?
Fuckin right. Guinea pigs? Try being over 70 with a severe disability, on a small state pension. Guess who the government thinks won’t build up an immunity and can be cannon fodder? Shameful.
was it in crayon
Mabozz,
You could borrow a crayon from Gordon Neely.
So we now have an anonymous club saying the league should be declared null and void yet want dibs on the prize money. I’m sorry, is it me or are these fuckwits at the wind up. Null and void would mean no prize money whatsoever would be due to any club. How about the prize money being put toward every football fan who purchased a season ticket for the null and void season. This arsehole ‘club’ sound very entitled, I wonder who it could possibly be.
Supporters keep on assuming that the governing bodies would make a rational decision for the good of Scottish football. They are wrong. The governing bodies the SPFL. (the clubs) the SFA. are only interested in £. We have a secret agreement ruling the judicial process’s, we have one club pretending to be another, we have TWO separate governing bodies when only one is needed. We have self interested peepul running the game who are complete failures. Where is the sponsorship? where is the leadership? They needed two individuals to help to buy Hampden and that is what will motivate them, not any kind of rational. A complete re-organisation of the game is required with some hard headed decisions, a re-look at league structures and a huge effort to save and to look for much needed income streams.
The SFA. and especially the SPFL. will decide, possibly today. Regan, Brown and the “One other Club” can GTF. Celtic should be awarded the title, not given, awarded, as for the rest of the clubs, they can squabble away to their hearts content.
When Celtic get awarded the title. Servo will need legal aid to try to stop it.
Frustratingly amusing listening to thr opinions of the huns with typewriters.
Scratching,twisting yet ultimately suffocating themselves with the spin of denying Celtic the title, to break the chain of Celtic’s sheer undeniable dominance, a dominance which involves paying our bills, filling opposition stadiums & supplying the national side with key players, no hidden side letters, no ebt offshore account ‘ loans ‘.
Anyone but Celtic is their way, is their mantra…..oft wonder how much did these churnalists put into the cva pot, you know boys, when it really mattered, how deep did you dig?
See when you look in the mirror, the answer is staring back at you, you didn’t put anything in, because put simply, you didn’t care enough.
Now i hope that hurts!
Stupid, stupid huns.
“Rangers”: DUP councillor appointed head of communications by Glasgow club. David Graham, from Belfast City Hall to Ipox. First we had Jabba and now we have Jibber: Jibber-Jabba. Another County Line!
Afternoon Micheal,
Do you need a Blanket or flask of Scotch broth?
Could you please post them out to the following: The Hugh Heffner Health Club, for dirty auld men who still have the notion but are left in self isolation feeling their curbs and whey.
Tried that but missed. 😉
if ther is anyway scottish fitba can steal the title aff celtic they will and yon zombies will be singing songs in praise ae the virus haha aint laughing at huns grand
if the corona virus wis a fitba team ………………
Statement o’clock again from the huns, ffs you couldn’t mark this filths necks with a blowtorch, fkn filthy animals!
Poor old Slippy G between a rock and a hard place. Wants Liverpool to be awarded the English Premier League title so bad BUT such an opinion would have a corollary in Scotland. What will he say?
” where’s the money & the hub caps “?
Budgie Talk: Who’s a pretty girl then?
We may take legal action, mibbee, knowing that she hasn’t got a perch to sit on.
Squawk: There was erm a precedent, erm, in 2012, cough, but this time its worse. Feeble minded Ann Budge, nearly getting herself into the bird poo X too.
So dont go to a pub a restaurant theatre cinema it sporting venue but go into a supermarket where people are throwing things about lifting food up putting it back down etc just doesn’t make any sense to me.
The huns make a statement about sporting integrity they have indeed no shame this on the day they announce a norn iron bigot as communications head.
You just couldn’t make it up.
Jimmy Bell must be chuffed.
Jimmy,
We should be happy with their choice of appointment, this clown will be brainless & it displays to the watching world what they are all about.
He’ll finish every sentence with, ” staunch ” or ” so it is “.
“Happy”? no, its just another example of their mentality, their inbred mentality. Surprised? no, because Huns do, what Huns do, in this sectarian country. I would have been “happy” with a Paddy McGinty, but instead of Paddy, we got his goat, an inbred goat.
🙂
So it is, so you did 🙂
A Happy Saint Patricks day to one and all.
I see that one of his snakes has reappeared in the news. A side effect of the Corona virus, with a typical Hun like brass neck, Stewart Regan. He must still be unemployed, its difficult when your mentality is only one sided, neither open or honest, just another scheming Hun. “Get back to where you just belong”.
Happy St Pat’s one and all.
UEFA has summoned its 55 European federations to a meeting on Tuesday to discuss the reorganisation of their respective leagues due to the coronavirus pandemic.
At Tuesday’s meeting, UEFA will have to set out three fundamental resolutions: postponement of the European Championships until 2021; choosing the format for concluding European competitions and selecting a unified criteria for deciding on league winners, promoted and relegated teams, and European qualifying spots to ensure “fairness and equal merit” when it comes to determning who will compete in next season’s Champions League and Europa League.
Regarding the determination of league winners, UEFA president, Aleksander ?eferin, has already confirmed he is in favour of choosing the team that was leader of each championship at the time that each league was respectively suspended.
However, many believe such a measure will not be necessary due to the likely postponement of Euro 2020, which would free up dates to conclude the league fixtures in the summer. But that of course will depend on whether the coronavirus crisis has eased off enough by then to resume matches.
If not, UEFA would determine the qualifying teams for the next editions of the Champions League and the Europa League by taking into account the league standings at the moment that leagues were respectively suspended.
The European governing body would not get involved in determining criteria for relegated and promoted clubs, allowing the respective leagues to choose their own format. However, it would advise using the same criteria for determining the league champion.
Just a pity we missed out on Corbyn as leader at this time.
He would have I’m sure put the health of the many before the profits of the few.
A prime minister who said live on tv we should just let it sweep through the nation and take it on the chin.
This is what’s in charge.
On this St Patrick’s day I pray that you and all your family and friends along with mine stay safe and well,and that the blessings and faith of St Patrick protect and be with you all today. God Bless.
Thanks mate. My wife and I will especially need your prayers and so will my children, grandchildren and friends. Corbyn, whatever his faults, cares about people and their welfare.
UEFA statement
UEFA.COM
HOME MEDIA & PUBLIC RELATIONS Media releases Press kits Media accreditation Media downloads Media contacts Regulations
UEFA postpones EURO 2020 by 12 months
Tuesday 17 March 2020
Priority given to completing domestic competitions in an unprecedented solidarity move by UEFA. Working group set up to examine possibilities for this season’s UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League competitions.
UEFA today announced the postponement of its flagship national team competition, UEFA EURO 2020, due to be played in June and July this year. The health of all those involved in the game is the priority, as well as to avoid placing any unnecessary pressure on national public services involved in staging matches. The move will help all domestic competitions, currently on hold due to the COVID-19 emergency, to be completed.
All UEFA competitions and matches (including friendlies) for clubs and national teams for both men and women have been put on hold until further notice. The UEFA EURO 2020 play-off matches and international friendlies, scheduled for the end of March, will now be played in the international window at the start of June, subject to a review of the situation.
A working group has been set up with the participation of leagues and club representatives to examine calendar solutions that would allow for the completion of the current season and any other consequence of the decisions made today.
The decisions, taken by UEFA’s Executive Committee, followed videoconference meetings held today with the presidents and general secretaries of the 55 national associations, as well as representatives of the European Club Association, European Leagues and FIFPro Europe, convened by UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin, to find a coherent plan to break the logjam of fixtures building up due to the spread of the virus across the continent.
Announcing the decisions, Aleksander Čeferin said:
“We are at the helm of a sport that vast numbers of people live and breathe that has been laid low by this invisible and fast-moving opponent. It is at times like these that the football community needs to show responsibility, unity, solidarity and altruism.
“The health of fans, staff and players has to be our number one priority and, in that spirit, UEFA tabled a range of options so that competitions can finish this season safely and I am proud of the response of my colleagues across European football. There was a real spirit of cooperation, with everyone recognising that they had to sacrifice something in order to achieve the best result.
“It was important that, as the governing body of European football, UEFA led the process and made the biggest sacrifice. Moving EURO 2020 comes at a huge cost for UEFA but we will do our best to ensure that the vital funding for grassroots, women’s football and the development of the game in our 55 countries is not affected. Purpose over profit has been our guiding principle in taking this decision for the good of European football as a whole.
“Football is an uplifting and powerful force in society. The thought of celebrating a pan-European festival of football in empty stadia, with deserted fan zones while the continent sits at home in isolation, is a joyless one and one we could not accept to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the competition.
“I would like to thank the European Club Association, the European Leagues and FIFPro Europe for their great work today and for their cooperation. I would also like to thank from the bottom of my heart the 55 national associations, their presidents and general secretaries, and my colleagues from the Executive Committee for their support and wise decisions. The fine detail will be worked out in the coming weeks but the basic principles have been agreed and that is a major step forward. We have all shown that we are responsible leaders. We have demonstrated solidarity and unity. Purpose over profit. We’ve achieved this today.
“I would also like to thank Alejandro Domínguez and CONMEBOL, who have agreed to move CONMEBOL’s 2020 Copa America in order to follow the recommendations issued by the international public health organisations to enact extreme measures and as a result of EURO 2020 being postponed. This means that clubs and leagues in Europe will have as little disruption as possible in the availability of their players. These joint efforts and especially this coordinated and responsible decision, are deeply appreciated by the whole European football community.
“I would like to thank FIFA and its President, Gianni Infantino, who has indicated it will do whatever is required to make this new calendar work. In the face of this crisis, football has shown its best side with openness, solidarity and tolerance.”
UEFA EURO 2020 was scheduled to take place in 12 cities across Europe from 12 June to 12 July 2020. The proposed new dates are 11 June to 11 July 2021. UEFA would like to reassure existing ticket buyers and hospitality clients that if they cannot attend the tournament in 2021, the face value of their tickets and packages will be refunded in full. Within the next month, further information on the refund process will be communicated to existing ticket buyers via email and on euro2020.com/tickets.
Decisions on dates for other UEFA competitions, whether club or national team for men or women, will be taken and announced in due course.
Nice to see Alex remembering 1969 when Big Jock brought a Treble to Parkhead……
“The League Ends When The SPFL. Says So”- End Of Debate”
So when are they going to say it, or make a decision?
Because what’s going through my mind just now, is the complete lack of leadership. Am I surprised?- Nope, because they have never led from the front and never had the guts to lead Scottish football openly, honestly, or transparently. UEFA.- “Hum an Haw” and the SFA.-fiddle away, the resulting stalemate is quite predictable. A “Lets wait and see attitude” frightened to make a decision, but if it hastens the end once again of the vile club, that will be one tiny consolation to their total lack of leadership. Lets just “Haud Oan A Minute” and watch the wreaths and hearses march down King William Street, follow, followed by the despicable basturts.
It would be a real shame if this Coronavirus claimed the lot of them, in fact i’d be devastated.