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Opinion - Should the Premier League follow the Eredivisie’s lead?
With the Eredivisie ending their season prematurely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we look at whether the Premier League should follow suit.
Aarran Summers
Last week, I said Liverpool should not win the league if the Premier League season is cancelled. Today, I question whether the Premier League should end the season now. This follows the bold decision from the Eredivisie to end their campaign prematurely. It has obviously caused divisions and clearly set a dangerous precedent.
The Eredivisie’s decision should not be taken lightly. It is quite telling. The likes of Ajax, PSV Eindhoven and Feyenoord have all had their seasons’ tribulations decided for them – no champions, no relegation. But critically, European positions have been determined. Another sign, perhaps, is to ease the pressure on the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League next season. The latter could be seen as a mature move.
The decision leaves the Premier League in a peculiar, if not contentious, place. The president of the Dutch Football Association, Just Spee, said, “It’s very doubtful” the Premier League will be completed and chances of playing football in Europe behind closed doors are “slim.”. Their neighbour, Belgium, already made the decision to award Club Brugge their national title. Many argue that it was presumptuous to believe that Brugge could win the post-season play-offs.
There is a critical discussion to be had about the Premier League’s feasibility to follow, particularly in regard to the implications of deciding the champions and who is to be relegated from the Premier League. Naturally, many feel inclined to award Liverpool the title for their outstanding season.
As I said last week, they are fully deserving champions. However, they are not the champions as of yet, nor are the three teams occupying the relegation places down and out.
Plans are already in place in the UK for major sports to return to action as soon as it is safe to do so. The UK government is setting up a series of meetings, with rumours that many are desperate to kick-start competition once again. Football clubs, broadcasters and organisations are haemorrhaging money. The debate between finances and health rages on. We just do not know when the right time is to resume competition.
There is no guarantee that the next season will begin in August. There is no guarantee that COVID-19 will be eradicated by next summer. We could find ourselves with a terrific backlog of events. If that is the case, then cancelling the Premier League this season would be the only solution.
The only option in finishing the season now would be to play behind closed doors. The majority of footballers’ think this is not the ideal solution but could be the only sustainable one. Strict regulations would have to be followed. It would be a bitter end to the Premier League season, particularly if Liverpool lifts the trophy to an empty Anfield.
Bundesliga teams are back in training, and Italy’s Serie A is eyeing a potential return to playing games behind closed doors. It sounds crazy that the Premier League is still contemplating this season’s existence.
Many will argue that the Eredivisie jumped too early. But in fairness to them, no one knows when to jump. Now that they have, everyone should follow suit. It leaves gaping holes in European football. The Dutch qualifiers are already decided for next season, but there is no champion.
UEFA has to make a decision from the very top. The decision was not popular in the Netherlands. It will be the same case in England. There will be a lot of disappointment.