GET REAL ON THE RESTART
Warbs: We have to set realistic kick-off date and win some goodwill for game
MARK WARBURTON insists football must get real on restart dates to stop anxiety and unrest. The former Rangers manager is adamant being proactive in helping society can build goodwill towards the game for decades. Warburton is aware everyone in football wants to get back to business as soon as possible. But with coronavirus causing unprecedented problems for the world he believes it is time for football to go on the back burner. With no signs of the global pandemic disappearing and clubs in panic about their finances, QPR boss Warburton reckons indecision and hopeful forecasts are unhelpful and causing more harm. The SFA and SPFL are among governing bodies across the planet scrambling to find a way forward. But Warburton feels pushing back the plans and aiming for a realistic restarting time will give the game a chance to try to get their affairs in order and also allow people to concentrate on what really matters at the moment. He said: “If we turn around now and say we will restart the season on October 1, I know it’s six months away. But at least god willing we’ll be over the worst of it by then and have some normality back in our lives. “What I’m saying is we have to give football fans a date to latch on to. Something for them to look forward to. But that date has to be more realistic than the ones which have come out so far. It’s the uncertainty which is causing so much anxiety. “Put it this way if you told your readers the Daily Record would be back on sale on September 1 then at least they’d know when their paper is coming back. “So football needs to stop talking about restarting the season in April, May or June. If they’re cancelling Wimbledon then football won’t be back until well after that.” Warburton has stated finishing leagues is the right way to go but does not entertain the prospect of playing games behind closed doors. Instead, he feels the game must wait until it is right to come back in the correct circumstances with full stadiums and a safe environment. He said: “I know there’s an argument in
Scotland that says Celtic should be given the title and put forward into next season’s qualifiers for the Champions League.
“But think about that for a minute. We don’t even know when those qualifiers will take place. Also I believe you have to win a title. You can’t just be given it.
“That’s not me speaking with my Rangers head on. You’ve got to win a title and I think any honest Celtic fan would agree.
“Down here Liverpool need two more wins before they can rightfully call themselves champions. That’s why we have to finish the domestic programme. There has to be integrity to the competitions.
“Obviously that will cause problems further down the line in terms of next season’s schedule but, without being rude, we’re going through a global pandemic. Thousands of people are dying.
“So how can anyone expect next season to be the same as always? At some point football is going to have to feel a bit of pain.
“If that means doing something radically different to shorten next season, starting it in November or December, then that’s what we have to do.”
Warburton this week joined every single member of his staff playing and non-playing in taking a wage cut. His move came a time when football is under huge scrutiny.
Julian Knight, the chair of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport committee, has condemned the actions of some top English clubs who have furloughed non-playing staff while still paying highearning players their full whack.
Warburton believes it is important the game takes a lead and said: “Football has to be proactive both as individual clubs and getting this right in general.
“When senior political figures voice negative sentiment we have to be very careful as a game.
“You have to be careful. You make any comment and people say there are far more important things than football. Of course there is. People are dying and society is dealing with a huge challenge. Football is on the back burner.
“But football is the global game and it can have such a positive impact on society.
“There is an important role for football in all of this. This crisis is far bigger than football. If the big clubs do the right thing they’ll be remembered years from now for how they acted during these times.”
Football is the global game and it can have such a positive impact on society
MARK WARBURTON