'Outrageous' - Richard Keys offers alternative

'Outrageous' - Richard Keys offers alternative coronavirus solution for Cardiff City, Swansea City, Leeds United and West Brom

The broadcaster says it is time to 'reset the clock' when it comes to the Premier League and Championship

By Mathew Davies

Broadcaster Richard Keys

Former Sky Sports presenter Richard Keys has presented an alternative suggestion as to how to end the Premier League and Championship seasons.

With all football on hold and everyone - including governing bodies - unsure of how to proceed due to the coronavirus outbreak, the broadcaster has put forward a plan for the rest of the campaign.

In a blog post entitled 'Re-set the clock - it's the only sensible thing to do', Keys argues that the standings should go back to how they were last August.

He added that it would be "outrageous" for teams like Cardiff City and Swansea City to miss out on a place in the play-offs and a chance to return to the Premier League.

"Leeds and West Brom have had eventful seasons, but they’re not up yet," he wrote.

"Both can still he caught. So how can we promote them? It would be outrageous if those chasing play-off places were to miss out on the chance to get up. Bristol City, Millwall, Cardiff are all jockeying. So are Blackburn and Swansea. It’s one of the joys of Championship football that very little is ever settled until the last day of the season. Oh - and the football is pure. No VA-bloodyR spoiling matches.

"Barnsley are bottom. They’re not down but they could go - so too could at least seven other teams.

"In League One Coventry are top. They’ll come up surely? After years of misery their fans (me included) deserve something to shout about. But we don’t know do we? Are you getting my point? We just don’t know.

"Liverpool were going to be ‘invincible’. They were going to retain the CL. They were going to do a league and cup double. Were..... Not now they’re not."

Keys' solution is simply to start over, to almost pretend that this season did not happen.

"Let’s be realistic - the chances of finishing this season are receding by the day," he added.

"My old mate, Javier Tebas, who runs the Spanish League, has this morning called for the season to be cancelled. For once, I agree with this. Cancel - now. Re-set the clocks. Go back to last August and start again with everything as it was. That includes the same teams in the CL, UEL - all of them. That will suit the big boys clamouring for a closed shop of CL clubs anyway.

"How can we realistically start again in - say, a couple of weeks? Six weeks perhaps? No - two months. Perhaps a week? See the problem? It’s one thing all agreeing to stop playing at the same time but teams won’t all be ready to start playing again at the same time. What about those isolating players now? Some will show symptoms days/weeks from now. They won’t be ready to play with those who’ve recovered earlier. So teams are nothing like the same as those that stopped playing? Where’s the integrity in that?

"And the further we push the season back the nearer we get to the deadline when 70 or more PL players are out of contract. Why would they play on with their current clubs? What about injuries? Who would look after a player out of contract, denied a big move by an injury in the last few days of his time with his current employer? So some are weakened in other ways. Where’s the integrity in that?"

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This pandemic is going to go on for months so cancelling the season is the only sensible thing to do. Give season ticket holders pro rata money off next year's season tickets.

This pandemic is going to go on for months so cancelling the season is the only sensible thing to do. Give season ticket holders pro rata money off next year's season tickets.

My thinking completely.

This pandemic is going to go on for months so cancelling the season is the only sensible thing to do. Give season ticket holders pro rata money off next year's season tickets.

Unfortunately I think that there must be a real possibility that many smaller clubs could fold with no income for what could be many months.

I think the landscape for football may very well be significantly different by the time regular football starts again.

Disagree you can’t start another season with different players but go back to how it was last season.

Honestly if Cardiff has a lead like a Liverpool at the top of the championship would you be saying start again ? I don’t think so.

For me you complete this season which is 80% through and then once this season completed you plan for next season l. That way everyone is fully briefed on how the season will look. In case of another outbreak you could start the new season with the cup competitions over the first two months.

Everyone has different views and agendas for their own gain so to stop that you complete the season how ever long it takes and don’t see why you can’t play behind closed doors either.

Easy way to sort this out - Bring Back The Pools Panel

I was simply saying that you should complete the league before we start this upcoming campaign.

My reference to Liverpool was in response to fans saying cancel the league because it’s Liverpool and I was saying would you be saying the same if Cardiff were in that position.

Any of my posts on this topic you will see that for the integrity of the league and in fairness to all clubs you complete this season before starting next. Any amendments or cancellation of games should be on cup competitions that do not impact on European places for the upcoming season.

By moving the Euros it would appear that this is the opinion of most Football Associations across Europe. In this tough And unique environment I am sure a way will be found to complete the leagues - it might just not be in the way fans want to see it.

Easy way to sort this out - Bring Back The Pools Panel

have they gone anywhere nice ?

Play behind closed doors.

Play behind closed doors.

it was player pressure that was behind football being pulled in the first place..