It’s easy to forget two A-League games are scheduled to take place tonight, although whether or not the fixtures in Perth and Newcastle actually go ahead is anyone’s guess.
After another day of confusion and mixed messages on Sunday, it’s hard to know whether the A-League can continue in its present format or not.
With contradictory advice being doled out by various state governments and a less-than-forthright federal government, it’s not immediately apparent whether A-League clubs can continue travelling interstate or not.
Much of the hesitation appears to stem from the fact that the National Rugby League seems hellbent on continuing playing, with several clubs already rumoured to be on the brink of financial ruin.
It looks for all intents and purposes like the Cronulla Sharks-loving prime minister Scott Morrison doesn’t want to be the one to shut the NRL down, so despite the Australian Football League announcing yesterday afternoon that it would cease playing for the foreseeable future, the NRL seems determined to plough on.
And riding on their coattails is the A-League.
Will Fox Sports tear up its broadcast contract if the competition goes on a temporary hiatus? We might soon find out.
And if the three fixtures played behind closed doors so far this weekend are anything to go by, we probably won’t be missing out on a whole lot.
The football itself was entertaining enough. It started with that weird and wild contest in Gosford, where both teams not surprisingly struggled with the intensity – or lack thereof.
Melbourne City always looked like they’d have too much class, but if Central Coast can’t win a game played with all the ferocity of a training run in front of zero fans, then it’s a wonder just exactly when the Mariners ever will win again.
Meanwhile, Brisbane Roar’s 1-0 win over the Newcastle Jets at Cbus Stadium on the Gold Coast came courtesy of an excellent Scott McDonald strike.
The Roar have turned into one of the most difficult teams in the league to beat under Robbie Fowler and if the finals were to start tomorrow, you’d be hard-pressed not to back them as one of the favourites to win the title.
That’s especially the case given Sydney FC’s recent run of average form, with the Sky Blues slightly fortunate to come away with a point from their 1-1 draw with the Wanderers in the Sydney derby.
It was the most surreal derby we’ve ever seen played out against the backdrop of 30,000 empty seats in Parramatta. However, it was potentially watched by one of the A-League’s biggest international audiences, with football-starved fans seemingly tuning in across the globe.
It would be very much in keeping with the A-League’s fortunes if a sizeable international audience was pleasantly surprised by the standard of football, only to have the chance to tune in regularly be snuffed out by the coronavirus.
But in the grand scheme of things, in the midst of an unparalleled health crisis, it’s hard to see how the football can possibly continue like this.
I certainly would prefer it if the A-League didn’t have to shut down. A lack of football to write about affects my livelihood as much as anyone.
Kwame Yeboah of the Wanderers celebrates (AAP Image/Dean Lewins)
But as much as it’s a natural reaction to worry about losing a livelihood, it’s surely more important to worry about losing one’s life.
Because that’s the territory we’ve now entered. These are unprecedented challenges, with no easy answers in sight.
And if the two fixtures go ahead tonight, I’ll tune in faithfully as always.
But without meaning to state the obvious, the competition is clearly not the same one it was three weeks ago. It’s hard to see the finish line from here.
Should we still be playing football?
The broadcast contracts might demand it, but these troubled times are clearly anything but business as usual.
Coastyboi
Guest
“Technically” CCM didn’t receive the wooden spoon then. It’s a conspiracy!
Fadida
Roar Rookie
We missed our chance for Singapore when we kept the borders open for too long
Cugel
Roar Rookie
But as soon as someone actually notices soccer is being played, as the last remaining hold out, the wrath of world will be upon them.
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
Kevin did a great job avoiding recession during the GFC, despite the years of myth building about his actions by the LNP and their media arm. That was a stimulus.
Roberto Bettega
Roar Rookie
It looks like the camping-in-NSW option is now the FFA's last resort for keeping the comp going.
Nick Symonds
Guest
There isn't anything in the public information campaign about the mortality rate or the rate of infection and what that actually means. They might be trying to avoid panick, but at the same time it's left people uninformed and caused them to not take it seriously.
Rellum
Roar Guru
If players and staff agree to hunker down in isolation in one spot, which check before they enter that zone to see if they are infected. If they agree to do that for the whole season, locked away from society and maybe families then, and only then should the comp go ahead
Nick Symonds
Guest
NEWS: AOC join calls for Olympics to be moved to 2021 That means the Olyroos will have to wait till next year. This comes after the Copa America was also postponed until 2021.
Johnny
Roar Rookie
Good point Waz, the majority of the country is still working, most kids are still at school or daycare, unis are still open. The risk to the players and support staff is probably less then those working at hospitals, schools or with the general public. I doubt the NRL will go more than another 1-2 weeks but good on them for giving it a go.
Fadida
Roar Rookie
Agree LH. A total shambles (remembering we've been planning for pandemics for decades)
Fadida
Roar Rookie
No one could handle this any worse than Morrison has.
Steven Harris
No pub no beach no sport seemingly everything enjoyable, but tomorrow I'll be fronting up to work.. strange.
Midfielder
Roar Guru
Nim You make a good point... Equally it would be hard for sport to play the we are just a sport so help us... why is sport any more entitled than small business owner...
Christopher
Guest
A minor premiership is the name of the title given to the team which finishes a sporting competition first in the league standings after the regular season but prior to commencement of the playoffs in several Australian sports leagues.
chris
Guest
Fad my comment was said somewhat with tongue in cheek. Much bigger issues at play I agree.
chris
Guest
Yes blame Labor that's the spirit! Doesn't matter how bad the current govt. performs there will always be people like you saying "lucky Labor isnt in power". How bad does someone have to be before you vote them out?
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
minor premiers?
Christopher
Guest
QLD now closing it's borders. Time to end the season and declare Sydney FC as minor premiers. Looking forward to the 20/21 season.
Nick
Roar Guru
Nowhere near Singapore. Life is still very much on in Singapore. Australia's Singapore opportunity came and went 5 weeks ago.
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
do it to a plan Guarantee queues at Centrelink today are the largest in town, any town, and the MY Gov website has crashed. Today’s Centrelink queues have replaced yesterdays pubs and clubs as the virus spreader centers. A plan might have been to sequence arrivals at Centrelink from tomorrow, after putting on more staff today. They could have poured many of those stimulus millions $$ (which are still to be delivered) into fixing the NBN, and started paying business to use it (for consultations, meetings etc), and more for business to cater for delivery, takeaway, pickup goods, last week and this, not next week as is their plan. This has been coming since Christmas, I’ve been monitoring it closely for at least 8 weeks. Why are we closing the country down overnight, with no plan in support? Better late than never, of course, but we should be much better served by those in control than this.