NEWBON ON FOOTBALL BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
SPORT behind closed doors is going to take a little getting used to judging by the opening matches in the German Bundesliga. I suppose we will get used to a complete lack of atmosphere but, on first showing, it’s like watching a practice or reserve match, albeit with much more purpose and higher skills!
Managers will have to watch their language, although on-field microphones will need careful attention!
Viewing second-placed Borussia Dortmund outclass sixth-placed Schalke 4-0, I was left with the feeling of damaged goods but not bad enough to return them!
Then the perennial champions Bayern Munich had a one-sided 2-0 win at FC Berlin. Hard viewing in the end.
Dortmund have some good players, topped by brilliant 19-year-old Norwegian Erling Haaland, but no crowd, no real goal celebrations – the eerie lack of atmosphere was a new experience.
At least it was live sport again and BT’S coverage was good. They are understandably hyping up the German ‘Premier’ league but for us it is not the English Premier League.
Bayern Munich are a different class, having won the Bundesliga title for the last seven seasons. A bit like Scotland!
They now have a four-point lead over Borussia Dortmund, the last other club to win the Bundesliga in 2012.
BT’S James Richardson was a good host, although he was stretching it when he said, ‘let us rejoin our commentators in Dortmund.’
I thought, ‘hang on, how were they allowed there?’ Then I discovered that main commentator Paul Dempsey was in Northern Ireland and cocommentator Steve Mcmanaman was in Liverpool.
Dempsey seems to be doing every game so he would have to travel faster than the speed of light!
‘Off tube,’ as TV calls it when the commentators are not at the venue, is difficult and they did well.
Of course, sport has no other choice than being behind closed doors and full marks to BT for bringing every live game to the British audience.
The first weekend’s coverage gives us a flavour of what to expect here later.
The sports channels, and many viewers, are gasping for some live action and have been waiting with bated breath for the Premier League and, to a lesser extent, the Championship.
The EFL should settle what they are doing by the end of the week. League Two have indicated they want the season finished now.
But Leagues One and Two have to vote on it. Six League One play-off candidates want to complete the season, with Peterborough and Sunderland arguing very strongly, but the rest are worried about the expense – approximately £125,000 per club for testing 25 players and 82 others.
Then there is the cost of staging the home matches; the expense of away games and if they are to resume they will have to take those many players off furlough and pay them.
Most League One clubs simply cannot afford it. They have no income at present.
The upcoming vote needs a 51 per cent majority. There are 23 League One clubs (with the demise of Bury)and 24 League Two clubs.
If all the League Two clubs vote unanimously again to halt the season, then the vote is carried. Even so, there will be enough League One votes as well to carry the day.
The Championship, who take 80 per cent of the TV money, have (I understand) been happy to leave the bottom two divisions to sort out their decision.
No public mention as to who fills Bury’s spot in League One next season.
I assume an extra spot will come from League Two.
Maybe it has not been decided. If it happens, then surely runaway National League leaders Barrow should step into the EFL.
It’s a scandal they are not anyway, based on what is happening above them in the EFL. League Two bottom club Stevenage should be relegated but appear to be safe.
Meanwhile, a weekend report in one Sunday newspaper that League Two might go regional with the National League for League Two North and South just will not happen, so one chairman told me.
He said too many things are involved, including money.
So no hope there for Solihull Moors, who will have to do it the hard way next season.
One final point: the police are worried that some fans may turn up on match days and they will need to be patrolling outside on home match days after requesting neutral grounds. The clubs pay for police inside but the cashstrapped force have to foot the bill OUTSIDE the grounds. Any club thought or care about that? n In next week’s column, I will give us all a rest from football politics. Hopefully everything will be settled by then.
I will be revealing of all the many thousands of TV interviews I did in 50 years of television who was the best – was it Muhammad Ali, Pele, Chris Eubank, Brian Clough or Sir Alex Ferguson?
Sports channels, and many viewers, are gasping for some live action and have been waiting with bated breath for the Premier League.