Alan Shearer believes declaring the 2019/20 season ‘null and void’ has to be the ‘very last option’ for the Premier League.
The former Newcastle no.9 feels every single solution needs to be looked at, with it being ‘incredibly harsh’ on the likes of Liverpool (who are 25 points clear at the top!) if the season was called off completely, but insists there’s no way we can have winners and losers if all games aren’t completed.
Here’s what he’s had to say during his latest column for the Sun:
“Not completing the season has to be the very last option on the table.
“Every angle and scenario has to be looked at in order to reach a conclusion, even if that means a long delay before playing into next season.
“There is so much speculation and opinion. But the bottom line is that everyone is guessing, and right now there are far more important things.
“If, and it is a huge if, the season cannot be completed then there is no way you can have a winner or loser.
“As harsh and as horrible as that would be for some clubs, none more so than Liverpool, it is the only outcome.
“For Liverpool, it would be incredibly harsh.
“But I cannot see how it would be fair to hand them the title — despite the fact it is obvious nobody is going to catch them.
“They only need six points to wrap it up but they haven’t got them yet so for that reason it has to be declared null and void.
“It would be very different if the season was suspended after they had got the points to win it.
“But they haven’t and however horrible a scenario it would be, it’s the only option.”
The coronavirus pandemic meant Premier League chiefs finally came to their senses and postponed the current season until ‘April 4th’ last Friday, yet it feels almost inevitable that games do NOT resume on this date.
The situation in the UK is only going to get worse before it gets better, so it’s difficult to know when we’ll see football actually return.
That said, it’s the least of our worries right now, with people’s health and the protection of those vulnerable to the virus having to come first, but there’s some BIG decisions to be made from a football perspective nonetheless.
What would you like to see happen?
My guess is if the pandemic continues as it is and does not fatal for younger people, the football will continue again in May with over 60’s (perhaps over 50’s) being temporarily banned from attending matches until the virus subsides.
Doctor Kildare(Quote)
“does not generally prove to be fatal for younger people”
Doctor Kildare(Quote)