While the postponement of the Premier League brought caused plenty of debate about what should be done with the remainder of the season, it is now widely accepted that the remaining games will have to be played at some point.
Declaring the current standings as the final table would be hugely unfair, while voiding the season altogether leaves far too many issues when it comes to promotion, relegation, and next season's European places. Finishing the campaign, no matter when that is possible, seems like the only logical step.
Both the Premier League and FA have acknowledged as much, saying they are committed to finishing the season when it is safe to do so.
However, some still feel that the whole season should be voided. Amongst that group is Rio Ferdinand, who said on Instagram that striking this season from the record books was the only move that made sense in terms of public safety and that playing games behind closed doors would be the wrong move (h/t Liverpool Echo):
I just think the Premier League should just be voided.
Just void it. I know there are going to be a lot of Liverpool fans going 'Oh Rio, it's just because you support Manchester United and it's Liverpool '.
It's not that, it's just that I don't see a way that it can be done, where health isn't compromised. Simple as that.
All this behind closed doors business, you're still going to have the players there. What are the players not classed as part of society?
There are players who are going to go down lame from the illness, who might not have recovered or who will catch it from someone.
Then it spreads to other players, so it won't be fair, it's not a level playing field, I just don't feel it's right...
Start the season with a clean slate. Once this health situation is all ironed out, all sorted out, then we can start a new season, because I just don't see it happening in that time.
Now if we wake up in the next month and it's all gone and the country can get back to normal immediately, then I think a conversation can then happen about that.
But I don't see that happening, not from what we're being told.
It remains unclear when it will be deemed safe enough to play football matches again. Based on everything we know now, it certainly seems like it will be a wait of months rather than weeks.
When it does eventually return, it seems likely that games will be played behind closed doors. That could potentially bring its own problems, with the virus still being able to spread despite the limited number of people within stadiums.
Ferdinand also pointed to the recent fixture between PSG and Dortmund, where large numbers of fans gathered outside the Parc des Princes despite the ban of supporters, as an example of the dangers with such a policy:
PSG v Dortmund the other day, behind closed doors, but outside there were thousands of fans.
Now imagine Liverpool were to win the league, which they would. Do you think all those fans, after all those 30 years of hurt, are going to sit at home and say 'well done guys, cup of tea, let's go, cheers, on to the next season'?
They'll be out. I'd want to go out, and not everybody is sensible in situations like that. People would be out trying to celebrate and go crazy, because that's what football does. It brings out emotions and people sometimes act out of character.
I think it would be silly to put these fans in a position where they are going to do stuff that's not right for society in general, so just void the whole season.
