So now one of the supposedly 'biggest' FA Cup 3rd round games will actually be Aston Villa U23 vs Liverpool The oldest & greatest Cup Competition in the world, reduced to the level of the Checkatrade Trophy. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ And breaking news that Man City have bought a trophy... https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55586021 Nothing new there then.
In the latest round of EFL Coronavirus testing, 112 out of 3,507 players or staff members are positive for the virus. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55591017 That's about 1 person in every 31 on average. The same proportion of infections as the population of London, according to recent reports. And that's despite all the precautions players and staff members are supposed to be taking. I agree with Steve Bruce - it is morally wrong to continue playing under these conditions. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55590296
A crowd gathers to watch the Tottenham team bus arriving. Despite the played down report, I don't see much social distancing going on. And besides, none of them are exercising or shopping for essentials. I understand this is the biggest game in Marine's history. But is watching a coach driving past really worth risking your health and life for? I'm glad Charlton did not reach the 3rd round this year. If we'd drawn a big Premier League team at the Valley, this picture might have been of a crowd of Charlton fans standing on Floyd Road. The way things are now, some of them would be dead in a few weeks. Haven't we lost enough people already?
Scottish Football Leagues below Championship (2nd tier) suspended for 3 weeks due to the rising number of Coronavirus cases https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55616399 Not the end of the seasons (which I think would be the safest option) but a step in the right direction. Lives before entertainment. There are other, safer ways to keep people's spirits up during this crisis.
I am aware that feelings run high about Lyle Taylor but I am happy to see him talking sense in today's Daily Mail. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/s...laims-meaning-taking-knee-diluted-belief.html
Patience is wearing thin (apparently) https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55615893 But nothing will be done.
For a turncoat and a traitor, Taylor seems to have a remarkably clear view of the BLM & knee taking situation. Credit where it's due
Just when you think this is the worst team you have followed at Charlton........ you are forced to remember this!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hereford-worcester-55633245 String them up. "I want no violence though. No violence"
Footballers continue hugging during goal celebrations, despite this being a clear violation of the rules they are supposed to be following; https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55646757 I can understand the argument that football is a passionate game, full of high emotions and spontaneous reactions. It may indeed be impossible to prevent players celebrating on reflex by hugging - to some extent anyway. Sadly that does not lessen the pain felt by other people who cannot hug, such as parents, grandparents and other family members who are not from the same household. There are millions of people in the county who have not been able to get within 2 metres of loved ones, let alone hug them, for nearly a year now. Many people have died without that simple comfort to alleviate their loneliness during their last days or hours. Watching footballers being allowed to ignore rules and enjoy that close contact is becoming increasingly difficult for many people. It is counteracting the positive effects on mental health of people being able to watch football in the first place. At work, or while shopping or exercising, we are all being told that breaking rules is now totally unacceptable. People are being fined or even arrested for rule breaking - and rightly so if we are going to defeat this virus. But almost every day we are treated to coverage of footballers (many very highly paid and already regarded as in a privileged position) flouting social distancing rules every few minutes, and getting away with it every time. If they cannot control themselves enough to follow the rules, why are they allowed to play? In truth this whole 'rules' business within elite football is a mockery anyway. We all know it. Footballers must come into close contact all the time during matches. Until everybody involved is vaccinated, football can never be a Covid-safe sport. Some basic honesty should be shown here. Many of the rules shown above are effectively worthless because of the contact nature of football while it's being played. So basically, footballers are being allowed to break rules in order to keep football fans among the TV watching public entertained. There is no other branch of entertainment allowed to break the rules. Even essential services staff who are directly saving people's lives are not allowed to break pandemic rules. So why is football (and other close contact sports at 'elite' level) the exception? Answer: Politics and money. There's one rule for those of us who are constantly told we must obey rules because we're following the science. And another rule for elite sports people. And the Government wonders why a significant minority of folk aren't inclined to follow the rules anymore. They aren't applied fairly and evenly for everybody. And it's always those individuals already seen as in an advantaged position who are allowed to break them.
Professional sport still being played has been about money from day 1. Will it continue if somebody dies? Probably, as the death will be claimed to be due to something else.
