News

Premier League clubs to resume contact training after unanimous vote

The Premier League restart moved a step closer on Wednesday as top-flight clubs voted unanimously to resume contact training.

Having previously had to adhere to social distancing guidelines, squads are now able to train as a group and engage in tackling – although any “unnecessary close contact” is still discouraged.

Players, managers, unions and the UK government were all consulted ahead of this morning’s shareholders meeting.

Strict medical protocols at training grounds will still be in place, with players and club staff continuing to be tested for coronavirus twice a week. 

Further decisions on a restart date and match venues have yet to be made, with discussions ongoing.

Today’s full statement can be read here.

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69 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Amey
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    The Premier League plan to televise five games back-to-back on Saturdays, and then the same on Sundays. Kick-off times will start at 12 noon, then 2pm, 4pm, 6pm and 8pm.

    From Twitter*

    Posted on last article by mistake ...

    1. HamezMace
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      I’ve seen this too, not sure I understand the reason though, is it just to try and get people to stay at home all day?

      1. TwiggsJameson
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        I think it might have something to do with MONEY 🙂

        1. HamezMace
          • 9 Years
          3 years, 10 months ago

          But PL teams aren’t obliged to show EVERY game on Sky (or whoever).

          Are they hoping to get more money from TV rights, to try and compensate for loss of gate receipts?

          1. Amey
            • 5 Years
            3 years, 10 months ago

            This might be the case.

      2. Ginkapo FPL
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        Thats the official reason

      3. Amey
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        It's good though 😀
        Can't ask for more.

    2. SADIO SANÉ
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      finally! how it always should have been

      1. Amey
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        In India, we have telecaster named Hotstar. Live streaming at cheap rate 😀
        It also allows selection from all (almost) live matches.

        But one game at a time can be great/boring. Let's see how it goes

    3. DaisyDaisyDaisyDaisy
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Makes sense all round really. Having no midweek games perhaps to allow maximum time between games for recovery. Big question for me is where the City/Arsenal and Villa/Sheff U games fit this

      1. Amey
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        Good point.
        Even if FPL resumes, i am going to avoid Arsenal/Villa/City (apart from KDB) ...
        Have Henderson so enough of SHU i guess.

        Auba is the one i would like to have though (but can't get unless i sell Vardy/Rashford which i don't want to)

        1. DaisyDaisyDaisyDaisy
          • 10 Years
          3 years, 10 months ago

          I get the feeling they may try and fit these games in first and hence create a mega blank week that cries out for a FH

          1. Amey
            • 5 Years
            3 years, 10 months ago

            Yeah.
            I only have FH remaining so it will be disastrous for me 😀

            Let's see

    4. goriuanx
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      This should be the case by default.

      It sucks that UK residents have to pay 3 different subscriptions (Sky, BT, Amazon Prime) and still can't watch 3pm games and some Sunday games too.

      Games are played in the UK, but aren't accessible as they are in the US, South Africa of India for example.

      1. Amey
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        I agree completely.
        It's simply ridiculous !

      2. goriuanx
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        Probably won't happen but I'd love to see an international Premflix style subscription.

        Different packages dependent upon your interests: PL, CL, Bundesliga etc etc.

        Football should be accessible for everyone at an affordable price.

        1. Amey
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 10 months ago

          Exactly !!
          i am getting yearly subscription of Bundesliga & PL for 5/6 USD.

          It's way cheaper in India i know but still it should be accessible everywhere in the world.

      3. HamezMace
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        It does suck that in the UK we have to pay for multiple subscription services.
        Although it seems to be the way all media is going, with Apple TV, Disney+ etc, on top of Netflix, Amazon already.

        Although I do support the principle of not showing 3pm kick offs as this was originally brought in to support attendance for lower leagues, and it seems to work.

        1. Amey
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 10 months ago

          I didn't know that (lower league viewers thing).
          It changes whole perspective then.

          Promoting lower league's is also important.

        2. goriuanx
          • 13 Years
          3 years, 10 months ago

          I'm not sure how they can prove otherwise until they trial out lifting the 3pm blackout.

          At the end of the day, why should fans of X club have to sacrifice watching their own team to help financially support Y club? If the top brass were funding lower league and grassroots footy adequately, then normal fans wouldn't have to.

          TBH, I'd like to see the numbers behind this. I live 5 mins away from a League 2 club and have never gone to watch a game live ahead of watching a 3pm game on a stream.

          Maybe that's just me though.

          1. HamezMace
            • 9 Years
            3 years, 10 months ago

            Well you’ve proven the point in the last paragraph there, you’ve never been to watch the L2 team 5 minutes from your doorstep because you can watch a PL game instead (I assume illegally, via streaming sites).
            If the games were being shown legally on TV how many of the people going to watch Torquay v Luton wouldn’t bother?

            I get your point that it’s not really Man Utd and Liverpool’s job to ensure the teams in L2 survive, but it’s in everyone’s interest that they do.

            1. goriuanx
              • 13 Years
              3 years, 10 months ago

              Fair enough.

              *plans to move to USA*

              1. Epic Fail
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 13 Years
                3 years, 10 months ago

                As long as you don't start calling it soccer.

                1. goriuanx
                  • 13 Years
                  3 years, 10 months ago

                  I was going to say something but would've been modded 😀

                  1. Epic Fail
                    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                    • 13 Years
                    3 years, 10 months ago

                    Ooops my reply to you just got modded. 😀

                  2. goriuanx
                    • 13 Years
                    3 years, 10 months ago

                    LOL I managed to see that EF 😀

      4. jtreble
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        "... It sucks that UK residents have to pay 3 different subscriptions (Sky, BT, Amazon Prime) and still can't watch 3pm games and some Sunday games too ...". Didn't know that. Insane.

        1. goriuanx
          • 13 Years
          3 years, 10 months ago

          Yep we aren't legally allowed to watch 3pm games. And with EL games on Thursday, there's games on Sunday which we can't see either.

      1. Wild Rover
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        Surprise, surprise, no link. Twitter is just full of attention seekers

        1. Amey
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 10 months ago

          Yeah ...
          You're right.

          1. Wild Rover
            • 13 Years
            3 years, 10 months ago

            It's just more click-bait. A Mirror 'exclusive' with no source. I'm not saying that it won't happen, just that there is no credible info from the people that matter.

            1. goriuanx
              • 13 Years
              3 years, 10 months ago

              Agreed

              Just pointing out it originated from Mirror not Twitter

  2. Baines on Toast...
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Let's be honest, they have to give everyone a free wildcard when it comes back.

    1. el polako
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Do they ?

    2. Amey
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Not at All !!
      Would be very very unfair to those who didn't use their second WC.
      (I have used mine)

    3. Wild Rover
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Why? Nobody has an unfair advantage at this point. Everyone has had the same choices.

      1. Amey
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        Replied on your comment on last article WR.
        Also posted link on above post.

        1. Wild Rover
          • 13 Years
          3 years, 10 months ago

          Just replied above, cheers 🙂

    4. DaisyDaisyDaisyDaisy
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Fine by me so long as I keep my spare one. Though I don't see why anyone would need it - how many teams have injured or unavailable players now? Some left alone teams could well end up in better shape than those that have been making transfers.

      FPL management is through a season...including through pandemics!

      1. Amey
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        That last line ....
        😀

        From next season, there will be an additional * in rules.

        "FPL holds all rights to change anything in case of an pandemic/storm/Alien attack etc."

    5. Pumpkinhead - I'm ITK …
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Why ? Because you havent got one ? 😆

      Probably the worse thing they could do out of all the options .

      " there you go folks, you spunked your last one so have abother one to give you an unfair shot at catching up with the ones that didn't waste it "

    6. Epic Fail
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      They don't have to do schit.

  3. SPorting
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Right then, time to dust off the FPL team and brush up on the nob gags.

  4. GreennRed
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Sheffield United gonna keep 'dynamic' Zivkovic for rest of season on loan. Could be a nice option, 4.7m, if the former Netherlands U21 player gets his chance.

    1. HamezMace
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      The 4.7m is better invested in SHU defenders to be fair.

    2. Rock n Grohl
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Will be interesting to see how their squad depth handles the fixtures, if they return. Shame really as the momentum they had was impressive.

  5. Miguel Sanchez
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Afternoon all, regardless of fixtures I want to play my bench boost as soon as the game reopens. Any risks here? Perhaps Alonso...

    McCarthy Krul
    TAA Doherty Alonso Maguire Fernandez
    Salah KDB Fernandes Richarlison Barnes
    Jimenez Ings DCL
    2FT 0.1 ITB

  6. BNMC
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Man City 3-1 Liverpool
    Sane G, Laporte A
    Sane G, Sterling A
    Sane G
    Mane G, Trent A
    STERLING: 12, MANÉ: 10, SANÉ: 10, ALEXANDER-ARNOLD: 6, DE BRUYNE: 6, VAN DIJK: 5

    Man City 1-1 Chelsea
    Jesus G, Zinchenko A
    Rudiger G, Willian A
    SANÉ: 13, MOUNT: 10, ALONSO: 8, AGÜERO: 7, JESUS: 7, WILLIAN: 6
    (Pulisic benched)

    Man City 5-1 Burnley
    Sane G
    Laporte G, Sane A
    Barnes G, Gudmundsson A
    Sane G, Jesus A
    Sane G, Jesus A (again)
    Aguero G, Jesus A
    AGÜERO: 12, STERLING: 11, JESUS: 8, SANÉ: 8, DE BRUYNE: 5, BARNES: 3

    2 hat-tricks for Sane... what can't this guy do? (started all 3)
    No returns for KDB. (also started all 3)

  7. @persecuted_by_mods
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Does anyone know where the fixtures will start from? Roughly where we left off and in the same order? Reworked? Or nobody knows yet

      1. Epic Fail
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        The Premier League don't even know when it will start let alone the fixture orders.

        1. @persecuted_by_mods
            3 years, 10 months ago

            Okay thanks. So in that case if the fixtures have changed does that not mean a wildcard to begin is a must? The whole point of this game is planning and deciding fixtures and if they randomly change because of a virus that has knocked so many plans out of whack

            1. Epic Fail
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 13 Years
              3 years, 10 months ago

              Hard to say really. I guess it depends what the change is. Any change could benefit you just as much as it could disrupt you.

              Hopefully we hear something soon. Until then everything is just wild speculation.

              1. @persecuted_by_mods
                  3 years, 10 months ago

                  True true, just reacting to the above where the majority seemed to be disagreeing with an extra wildcard

                  1. Tinkermania
                    • 4 Years
                    3 years, 10 months ago

                    I don't see why they would change the order. Leaves them liable to accusations of fixing. I reckon it will be the same order and that there will be no extra wildcard!

                    1. Epic Fail
                      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                      • 13 Years
                      3 years, 10 months ago

                      Yeah you might well be right, but fact is we just don't actually know yet. Stranger things have happened.

                    2. GreennRed
                      • 12 Years
                      3 years, 10 months ago

                      Might change the order to help isolate teams at the same central location for 2 or more consecutive away games. Done for COVID restriction reasons rather than trying to keep 20 clubs happy.

                    3. @persecuted_by_mods
                        3 years, 10 months ago

                        If there's no change no wildcard is fair. If there's change to the order* a wildcard is absolutely fair

                        *Unless the change to the order is we start 1-2 gameweeks on from when the fixtures ended, in this scenario I couldn't justify a new wildcard

                    4. GreennRed
                      • 12 Years
                      3 years, 10 months ago

                      Maybe best wait a few GWs before wildcarding as there might be some stability with team selections by then. Would be tricky having WC for first game back and your pick based on previous season form but teams are selected on training form, youth, experience, different criteria. Then need some hits to pick a settled 11.

                    5. Pumpkinhead - I'm ITK …
                      • 14 Years
                      3 years, 10 months ago

                      Doesnt matter what we diagree or agree with. FPL call the shots. What a few folk on here think is totally irrelevant to anything.

                      Free WC is a shocking idea and will upset a lot of people but they could possibly do that . Just be happy you get to continue if you do imo

                      1. @persecuted_by_mods
                          3 years, 10 months ago

                          Well I've given reasons and explanations as to why I think it could be justified whereas you've just gone "it's a shocking idea"

                          1. Pumpkinhead - I'm ITK …
                            • 14 Years
                            3 years, 10 months ago

                            I just think that it is unfair to gift a wildcard to people who have already had the advantages of using it. A wildcard is a huge advantage. Those who used /wasted it and sorted their teams out get another get out of jail free card ? Not really fair is it whilst those who played cautious would now suddenly lose their big disadvantage.

                            Everyone had same opportunities to make free transfers and a mini wildcard. Not everyone took it but that should be it.

                            There is NO fair way to end the season now. Integrity is gone in FPL so they should just let it pick up where it let off and play it out as normal

              2. goriuanx
                • 13 Years
                3 years, 10 months ago

                No definite news yet unless I've missed something. There were a few articles (mainly opinion pieces) suggesting the order may be different, but that was in conjunction with neutral venues which seemingly won't happen.

                I think we're awaiting PL confirmation on both fronts

                1. @persecuted_by_mods
                    3 years, 10 months ago

                    Okay thanks

                2. GreennRed
                  • 12 Years
                  3 years, 10 months ago

                  https://www.breakingnews.ie/sport/soccer/top-flight-clubs-to-continue-talks-after-agreeing-to-resume-contact-training-1001996.html

                  Possibly June 12th. Probably June 19th. Would be hypocritical, in health conscious times, to ignore warning of clubs that players returning to play on 19th will be better prepared and are less prone to injury.

              3. Nice to Finally Michu
                • 10 Years
                3 years, 10 months ago

                RB Leipzig XI versus Hertha BSC: Gulacsi – Laimer, Klostermann, Upamecano, Halstenberg – Olmo, Sabitzer, Kampl, Nkunku – Werner, Schick.
                Hertha BSC XI versus RB Leipzig: Jarstein – Pekarik, Boyata, Torunarigha, Plattenhardt – Skjelbred, Grujic, Darida – Lukebakio, Ibisevic, Cunha.