Do you think the extended break would have a negative impact on the team and when we get back do you think the rust will show or it could actually be a blessing? I am hoping other teams around us will falter. We are in no danger of going down but only 6 points away from playoffs. So In theory a good run from now could do it. Do you think this break could be a good thing and we could regroup and gain momentum, or this season should be a wrote off?

No idea to be honest, don’t think anyone does

Lots of variables with the hot weather, no crowds etc (certainly wouldn’t expect that to effect us like it might Leeds for example)

Though if I had to guess, suspect we’ll carry on a bit like we were - upper mid table form and finish about 12th

In my view the ‘break’ is effectivelya new season. I think we will see lots of weird results. Some teams will simply not show up, for a mid table side there will be little motivation to treat these rump games as more than a preseason run out.
The old rule of thumb that you can’t judge the league until you’ve played 10 games suggests this will be a very random set of games.
Luckily for us it’s a meaningless time so I’m going to just ignore it. I literally don’t care and won’t bother watching any games.

I reckon it could have a little of a negative effect on the side. We were having a little run before the break. Maybe it might be like a lengthened international break. Like OP said, we're safe, but only 6 behind the play-offs. Maybe those sides in the play-offs might falter. We will see when we get going again. Quick question: when is the restart? I've not seen anything written in getreading or the Chronicle. I know they're training, though.

All Championship squads now back in training, and likely that our first/next game will be 3 weeks today (Sat June 20th).
And if the games are kept in the same order as were scheduled to be played, we will be at home to Stoke on Sat 20th.

Looking forward to seeing a few mates, couple of beers in Spoons before the game...then a top up ale outside the East stand game before the game.....actually, wait a minute.....

Why wouldn't you watch any of the games - what better things do you have to do of a weekend? Paint the fence for the 10th time? We're in touch of the playoffs and as you say the reset button has been pressed - all our injured players are back? I think it's going to be very entertaining and yet we don't really have too much risk of going down.

Presumably once games resume they will need to address the issue of season ticket holders.....

Why wouldn't you watch any of the games - what better things do you have to do of a weekend? Paint the fence for the 10th time?


LOL

in a way we are quite fortunate being in the position we are. Agree with all others have said, will be some odd results, for a whole host of reasons, in theory we could Nick a PO spot bit unlikely so odd results won’t impact us like they will those fighting relegation or going for promotion.

Its not quite like starting again in August though as all the teams have the same players, but I guess sides carrying a lot of injuries at the time we stopped will have benefited, and the warmer weather in June/July should benefit sides that move the ball rather than the hard running more direct sides.

I've no idea having said that how we will fare - thank god we're safe.

Guys, we're 8pts off the play-offs, not 6.

Also, when would the following season start? Do they have a proposed date/month for that?

Pure speculation - they’ll want a very short pre-season while the fixture computer does its magic and then get started after two or three weeks.

Season has to end promptly to ensure the Euros can go ahead, to prevent indefinite disruption (particularly as WC22 is going to impact 21/22 and 22/23 seasons) and to keep the money flowing. Players have had their rest. Let’s go.

I’m not sure if it’s been covered elsewhere but will they be continuing to televise games as they did for player of ifollow or whatever it’s called, but make it available to all?

Think it’s more likely all the champ stuff will be sky red button. Just a guess though

Impossible to tell but every team is in the same boat. Only target is to when the first game back. Games will be thick and fast, probably looking to play Sat, midweek, Sat and look to get regular season sorted in 4 weeks to allow play-offs to be done by end of July.

New season to start first or second weekend in September.

Could they shorten next season a little by playing more mid week games?

I know some may complain too many fixtures to frequently but it would be the same for all teams.

Why wouldn't you watch any of the games - what better things do you have to do of a weekend? Paint the fence for the 10th time? We're in touch of the playoffs and as you say the reset button has been pressed - all our injured players are back? I think it's going to be very entertaining and yet we don't really have too much risk of going down.

Well as I ha Ben never watched a Reading game live on TV I see no reason to start now when these are , in my view at least, not real competitive games but just a ‘contractual obligation’ exercise.
I can find plenty of better things to do.

Don’t know about season ticket holders.I did think we could maybe we would get priority on a direct televised link to the game.But you can imagine the uproar.Plus we would suddenly become very popular with other fans breaking the regs and wanting to come round to watch.The red button would disadvantage non Sky supporters.However presumably the Club is desperate for cash.How much money did they make off Sky on red button games ?
Legally I suppose Season Ticket holders should get a refund on the closed games;however there might be something in terms and conditions.Anyway how much would we get back ? £50 ?If it helps the Club,then I don’t mind chucking that into the pot.
Usually about now we start to get emails about renewing season tickets.That would be a different matter all together.I haven’t checked ,but didn’t we need one more win to be safe ?
The old season should be the pre season;we then get right into the new season.God knows how the Club raise cash;maybe a subscription link ?We are all hoping these scientists come up with a vaccine.But this side of Xmas looks unlikely.Its an absolute mess.A lot of Clubs will no doubt go bust.But we the fans are so reliant on football in this Country;that I am sure they will re-emerge -although any player below Prem level is likely to be on a much lower wage-maybe by as much as a quarter Of their old salary.
However the friends and relatives of the 40000 dead,couldn’t give an FCUK.

Hell I just checked the table didn’t remember how much promotion and relegation was still up for grabs for mid table teams.

Well they haven’t managed a vaccine in the 50 plus years coronavirus has been around so I’m not holding my breath on there being a working one anytime soon for this latest strain.

I should imagine there will need to be at least a month gap between the end of the playoffs (presuming they’re still held) and the start of the next season as the various leagues will need to work out fixture lists and confirm which competitions will and won’t be cancelled. Therefore you’re probably looking at mid September for the earliest start of next season.

Of course the other issue will be the fans being allowed through the turnstiles again and what that revenue will mean to clubs being able to continue to operate over the course of a season. Personally think that if you can allow people into shops and restaurants then you can allow them to return to sporting events so it’s then just a question of what percentage is allowed for every 100 a ground can hold. Clubs at all levels will need to know if they can fully reopen or whether there will be restrictions ASAP (and the further away from the top of the PL they are the more reliant they will be on fans being allowed back).

Lastly I believe clubs want FIFA to keep the transfer window open throughout the season so as to maximise options on player movement. Being able to sell a player to another club or get them away on loan at any time could help keep lower clubs afloat. Wondering also whether FFP rules will be suspended (or at least given a lot more flexibility) until next summer to allow clubs time to get through it all.

Well they haven’t managed a vaccine in the 50 plus years coronavirus has been around so I’m not holding my breath on there being a working one anytime soon for this latest strain.

I should imagine there will need to be at least a month gap between the end of the playoffs (presuming they’re still held) and the start of the next season as the various leagues will need to work out fixture lists and confirm which competitions will and won’t be cancelled. Therefore you’re probably looking at mid September for the earliest start of next season.

Of course the other issue will be the fans being allowed through the turnstiles again and what that revenue will mean to clubs being able to continue to operate over the course of a season. Personally think that if you can allow people into shops and restaurants then you can allow them to return to sporting events so it’s then just a question of what percentage is allowed for every 100 a ground can hold. Clubs at all levels will need to know if they can fully reopen or whether there will be restrictions ASAP (and the further away from the top of the PL they are the more reliant they will be on fans being allowed back).

Lastly I believe clubs want FIFA to keep the transfer window open throughout the season so as to maximise options on player movement. Being able to sell a player to another club or get them away on loan at any time could help keep lower clubs afloat. Wondering also whether FFP rules will be suspended (or at least given a lot more flexibility) until next summer to allow clubs time to get through it all.


If there hasn’t been a vaccine for other strains then what is the vaccine heavily promoted every year all about ?

Well they haven’t managed a vaccine in the 50 plus years coronavirus has been around so I’m not holding my breath on there being a working one anytime soon for this latest strain.

I should imagine there will need to be at least a month gap between the end of the playoffs (presuming they’re still held) and the start of the next season as the various leagues will need to work out fixture lists and confirm which competitions will and won’t be cancelled. Therefore you’re probably looking at mid September for the earliest start of next season.

Of course the other issue will be the fans being allowed through the turnstiles again and what that revenue will mean to clubs being able to continue to operate over the course of a season. Personally think that if you can allow people into shops and restaurants then you can allow them to return to sporting events so it’s then just a question of what percentage is allowed for every 100 a ground can hold. Clubs at all levels will need to know if they can fully reopen or whether there will be restrictions ASAP (and the further away from the top of the PL they are the more reliant they will be on fans being allowed back).

Lastly I believe clubs want FIFA to keep the transfer window open throughout the season so as to maximise options on player movement. Being able to sell a player to another club or get them away on loan at any time could help keep lower clubs afloat. Wondering also whether FFP rules will be suspended (or at least given a lot more flexibility) until next summer to allow clubs time to get through it all.


If there hasn’t been a vaccine for other strains then what is the vaccine heavily promoted every year all about ?

To help provide cover for various strains of flu viruses.

To help provide cover for various strains of flu viruses.

To elaborate on that answer, flu viruses are from the family Orthomyxoviridae in the order Mononegavirales.
Corona viruses (including Covid-19) are from the family Coronaviridae in the order Nidovirales.

Despite them both having respiratory effects, they are not closely linked. No vaccines have yet been produced for any member of the Coronaviridae family, as far as I am aware, they have very high RNA recombination during reproduction, which means they mutate more often then other viruses, which (a) makes them more likely to jump species, and (b) makes them harder to vaccinate against.

I've heard they think that the vaccine currently being developed in Oxford for Covid-19 actually protects against the pneumonia that Covid-19 causes, rather than against Covid-19 itself.

So sounds like return will be 20th June

Aim is for all games to be screened on either sky or ifollow. No detail yet it who can access those games - be it free to all or subscribers only etc

To help provide cover for various strains of flu viruses.

To elaborate on that answer, flu viruses are from the family Orthomyxoviridae in the order Mononegavirales.
Corona viruses (including Covid-19) are from the family Coronaviridae in the order Nidovirales.

Despite them both having respiratory effects, they are not closely linked. No vaccines have yet been produced for any member of the Coronaviridae family, as far as I am aware, they have very high RNA recombination during reproduction, which means they mutate more often then other viruses, which (a) makes them more likely to jump species, and (b) makes them harder to vaccinate against.

I've heard they think that the vaccine currently being developed in Oxford for Covid-19 actually protects against the pneumonia that Covid-19 causes, rather than against Covid-19 itself.


Well obviously..... !

Actually thanks for the clarification

So it really isn’t ‘just flu’ after all.

Teams that were out of form with something to play for may come into the mini season full of energy and hope that their opponents are now out of form/lacking match practice.

Teams with nothing to play for will, I assume, make the safety of their players/staff the only goal and minimise risk as much as possible.... probably not to the extent of just standing on the pitch and running away from the ball/staying 2m away from attackers at all times etc etc, but they may play the healthiest/fittest players and keep any old timers or youth team players out of the side.

Generally a bad effect for all players at all clubs in terms of match fitness obviously, the question is how much more/less has it affected our lot compared to others.

For some players (eg Ejaria) who were tiring, it will be a big plus. For others who were just getting into their swing (eg perhaps Puscas) might be more of a negative.

Factor in also the weather, the wage problem, the psych aspect of playing to less people, having been locked in etc etc.

Who knows!

Apparently Ejaria was basically crocked in our last game, and prob would have missed the rest of the season. Hopefully fully fit to go again now

Apparently Ejaria was basically crocked in our last game, and prob would have missed the rest of the season. Hopefully fully fit to go again now

Ah.

I smell conspiracy theories.

I was convinced 5G caused coronavirus, but now there's a much more sane theory: our Chinese owners have created all this to have Ejaria fit for the rest of the season.

Apparently Ejaria was basically crocked in our last game, and prob would have missed the rest of the season. Hopefully fully fit to go again now

Ah.

I smell conspiracy theories.

I was convinced 5G caused coronavirus, but now there's a much more sane theory: our Chinese owners have created all this to have Ejaria fit for the rest of the season.

Also, shouldn't Joao be back fit for this re-start as well?