Premier League 'Project Restart' - Latest News on Noise Generating Apps, Relegation Legal Battles & More
By Max Cooper
Premier League chiefs are frantically banging their heads together to come up with the most feasible way of restarting the 2019/20 season, but so far, 'Project Restart' has seemed quite muddled.
Here's a roundup of the latest developments on Wednesday.
Cheer From Home With Crowd Noise App
There are growing concerns over the marketability of football, when it does return in empty stadiums. The lack of audience participation and atmosphere in the grounds is one of the most off-putting aspects of this prospect, but it seems that some experts believe technology could be the answer.
The Mail reports that Liverpool, Manchester City and Arsenal are at the forefront of this revolutionary idea, and the trio have held talks with a company which has developed this new piece of technology, called 'myapplause'.
The app will allow fans to select from four different noises to make - presumably shouting 'w****r' repeatedly at the opposition isn't going to be one of the options. If this extravagant plan wasn't zany enough, clubs will be given the option to increase levels of noise when they are at home, to drown out any raucous (virtual) away fans.
And in case you're wondering if this ground-breaking and spookily realistic technology will cost you a virtual arm and a leg, then don't panic. Supporters are likely to be charged £1 to download the app, with no additional costs to be added on in the future.
Who needs to go to a stadium again?!
PFA Chief Proposes Reduced Match Times
Yes, this is genuinely an idea which was proposed by the PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor. In order to maintain the integrity and dignity of the sport, and to continue playing in the most logical manner, Taylor came up with the plan of reducing matches to less than 45 minutes each half. Right.
"We don't know the future but we do know what propositions have been put, what ideas have been put - the possibility of having more substitutes, games possibly not being the full 45 minutes each way, talks of neutral stadiums, he told the BBC.
"Ideally, you want to keep the integrity of the competition, and of course, that was about playing home and away and having the same squad of players as before it was suspended."
I think we'll leave this idea here, shall we?
No Relegation Could Lead to Legal Action
Some of the teams in the lower end of the Premier League are brave enough to finish the current season - but there's a catch. The bottom six clubs have all requested for relegation to be scrapped. Very dignified.
But EFL chief Rick Parry has sent out a warning shot, stating that the Premier League should brace itself for a legal battle if they go ahead with this outrageous idea.
Speaking in front of the 'Digital, Culture, Media and Sport' committee, Parry claimed that there would be 'outrage' among Championship clubs, and 'lawyers are going to get wealthy', if the plan comes to fruition, as reported by The Mirror.
"The Premier League is aware of our position on that. Lawyers are going to get wealthy (if the Premier League opted not to relegate three teams.)
"There would be a degree of outrage from a number of clubs in the Championship and it would be a breach of the tripartite agreement."
Premier League Doctors Concerned by Early Restart
But all of these plans may come to nothing, if the Premier League's medical experts have anything to do with it. According to Sky Sports, four doctors who represent English top flight clubs have expressed their concerns over the league's planned return date, and they have raised questions which will be discussed at the all-important shareholders' meeting on Monday.
This comes after the Premier League presented all 20 clubs with their detailed plans and protocols for players and staff who will be returning to training, but it seems not everyone is convinced by their proposal.
Players risk not receiving tests for the coronavirus, if it interferes with the availability of testing kits for key workers, meaning the virus could easily be spread throughout a team without their immediate knowledge.