Echo News National League chief explains postponement procedures

[Shrimpergonzo]

Still not great for the football fans who can’t always do the Tuesday night games. It’s been horrendous this year for the lack of Saturday 3pm games.

I don't disagree with that at all - almost forgotten what Saturday afternoon at Roots Hall feels like!

 

[Maidstone Shrimper]

I don't disagree with that at all - almost forgotten what Saturday afternoon at Roots Hall feels like!

Quite a lot of Saturday afternoons at Roots Hall over the past few years are best forgotten!

 

[Mick]

I really don’t know if this continues with postponements how the National League will manage to fit in all of the fixtures? Extend the season or null and void.

I guess some people are naturally pessimistic. With potentially 21 weeks available til the end of May to play 25 games it shouldn't come down to null and void. Obviously if there's not much played by the end of February it becomes more difficult. Even if clubs have to play 3 games in a week it shouldn't be beyond professional athletes (.... I know) to put in 4 and a half hours of game time in a week.
Football needs to avoid null and void at all costs.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Dunno what the situation is regarding covid and postponements in the NL but bearing in mind Maidenhead had only 1 player testing postive for covid recently and that game was postponed -it must be fairly discretionary.Here in Spain La lLga insisnsts that a club must have 5 full professionals in their team before youth players etc are called up.Consequently there aren't too many postponements.Believe Rayo Vallecano's recent game was the only one actually called off.Espanyol had 5 people testing postive for covid on Monday (3 players +2 members of their coaching staff) yet their away game at Valencia today is going ahead.

 

[Ricey]

I guess some people are naturally pessimistic. With potentially 21 weeks available til the end of May to play 25 games it shouldn't come down to null and void. Obviously if there's not much played by the end of February it becomes more difficult. Even if clubs have to play 3 games in a week it shouldn't be beyond professional athletes (.... I know) to put in 4 and a half hours of game time in a week.
Football needs to avoid null and void at all costs.

Oh absolutely with you Mick on this. Football does need to avoid it being null and void. I just think with the numbers the way they are and how transmissible this variant is I can see it being a struggle to get all the games played before the end of the season.

 

[The Big Dady]

If the National League make this season Null and Void we would stay up, that may be the best outcome for us.

 

[Holy Joe]

It's a really odd statement - that I'm not sure clarify's anything.

“I will then look at how many players the club has registered and it’s a basic mathematical exercise. How many do you have registered, how many COVID and I emphasise COVID, not injuries.

“And providing you have more than 14 players available including a goalkeeper then the game goes ahead. We will apply that consistently across the board."


So the first part appears to rule out injured players. But then the second part 'players available' does that include injured? As mentioned elsewhere they can't seriously include Sim as available?

Hmmm - BBC reporting Altrincham game off due to Covid and injuries

National League games off due to Covid-19

The new year National League fixtures at Southend, Altrincham and Maidenhead are postponed because of Covid-19 cases.

www.bbc.co.uk

"And Altrincham's local derby with Stockport on Monday has also been postponed due to the home squad being "decimated by injury and illness".


Are the NFL following their process or has it been miscommunicated in the Echo?