The Premier League have concluded their latest meeting, and according to Sky Sports all 20 clubs are committed to finishing this season.
This is what a Premier League spokesperson said after the meeting:
“We are acutely aware of the distress COVID-19 is causing, and our thoughts are with all those directly affected by the pandemic.
“In common with other businesses and industries, the Premier League and our clubs are working through complex planning scenarios. We are actively engaging with stakeholders, including broadcast partners, and our aim is to ensure we are in a position to resume playing when it is safe to do so and with the full support of the Government.
“The health and wellbeing of players, coaches, managers, club staff, and supporters are our priority, and the League will only restart when medical guidance allows.
“Today’s shareholders’ meeting provided an opportunity to discuss possible scheduling models. It remains our objective to complete the 2019/20 season, but at this stage, all dates are tentative while the impact of COVID-19 develops.
“In response to the pandemic, the Premier League, our clubs, and players have provided vital support for communities and the NHS and will continue to do so after matches recommence.”
It looks like this meeting consisted primarily of going through different scheduling scenarios. Sky Sports is reporting that player wage cuts and when the next transfer window would open were not discussed.
They also claim that setting a June 30 deadline for completion was not brought up. This date had been talked about earlier this week as being a possible deadline date due it being when contracts and loan deals expire.
The recent reports that the league is targeting an early June return was not verified during this meeting. But they are continuing to work closely with the Government, and if this crisis starts to show some steady improvement, there’s still a chance this season can be completed.
148 comments so far
#BoycottAshley ( OP)
Apr 17, 2020 at 4:06 PM
Comment #1Is anyone pulling up trees in China?
Doesn’t seem right with global warming and all that jazz.
Novocastrian66
Apr 17, 2020 at 4:06 PM
Comment #2Another thing that is getting on my moobs is this phrase / word “whataboutery.” I had never heard this or read it until yesterday. Now just about every article I’ve read, I’ve read a few this week (nowt else to do), and I few podcasts I’ve listened to have used this word.
It is a retaliation to Newcastle fans defending the ownership of the club, for example; what about Sheffield United. These people are saying that this “whataboutery” should not excuse the fact the club will be owned by the PIF. Fair enough. However they should not be using that phrase to excuse the fact that Saudi Arabia own a substantial part of plenty and nothing has been said. No protests, no fake outrage, nothing.
What these outraged people should be doing in their condemnation of our club is put it in to some form of context by highlighting the fact that the Saudi Royal family have their fingers in a lot of pies. However this does not fit the agenda of the originators of the articles or the podcasts who sole aim is to undermine the takeover and our club.
Novocastrian66
Apr 17, 2020 at 4:08 PM
Comment #3Catchy: I would happily take a cup win.
the crown princes nashers
Apr 17, 2020 at 4:09 PM
Comment #4yeah they would the league wouldnt they, bunch of nut job mental head cases, just null and void the season its not difficult
Munster Mag
Apr 17, 2020 at 4:12 PM
Comment #5Novo, would you not prefer football with real zip and zing ? I would . Rafa failed to qualify Naploi for the CL and the fans were sick of him. Madrid players hated him. I know 2 of them! ( I know, not a great sample but! ) . Despised his football. I know he would do miles better than before , with better players, but I think we can aspire to a better manager than Rafa Benitez, good as he is.
DubaiMicky
Apr 17, 2020 at 4:13 PM
Comment #6The Premier League will never let their cash cow go..
Sadly the cow died a few weeks back.
Put it out of it’s misery and work toward the next one.
Ron Knee
Apr 17, 2020 at 4:18 PM
Comment #7“The return of Premier League football is dependent on the roll out of mass coronavirus testing, clubs learned on Friday.
“In a two-hour video conference, representatives of English football’s top 20 teams met with league officials to discuss various scenarios for bringing back the competition.”
Novocastrian66
Apr 17, 2020 at 4:19 PM
Comment #8Munster; I had zip and zing with Keegan it was brilliant but we won nowt. I would love more zip and zing but I what rather we give it a miss and won something. Anything.
Chelsea have been largely boring to watch since the Abramovic revolution but won plenty.
Lindisfarne
Apr 17, 2020 at 4:21 PM
Comment #920 teams of 25 players, equals 500 tests to be sidelined instead of being utilised by the NHS
lesh
Apr 17, 2020 at 4:24 PM
Comment #10Carltoon
If you can’t stand Klopp’s gnashers, I’m sure he’d take them out and put them in a glass – if you ask him nicely.
?
Jib
Apr 17, 2020 at 4:29 PM
Comment #11catchy in norway — its a lot easier to win a cup than a league, Rafa was always a cup manager than a season of 38 games
He won La Liga twice in 3 years 2001/2004 at Valencia breaking the Madrid/Barcelona monopoly
Their first titles for 31 years
lesh
Apr 17, 2020 at 4:29 PM
Comment #12Munster, Catchy
It’s no good getting yourselves all worked up about the possibility of Rafa returning.
The fact is that whilst you are entitled to an opinion, Staveley and her partners’ll be making the decisions and if they decide Rafa’s best for the club, you’ll have to like it or lump it.
Munster Mag
Apr 17, 2020 at 4:29 PM
Comment #13Novo, sorry i meant to say I know two Madrid FANS, not players 🙂
hibbit
Apr 17, 2020 at 4:30 PM
Comment #14i would rather test 500 nurses than players if that’s the case
Munster Mag
Apr 17, 2020 at 4:31 PM
Comment #15Lesh, as I’ve clarified I can happily live with him. But if we go full throttle, I think we can do better. That said, one cup over my lifetime would do me. Id love to see Dortmund football on tyneside, but listen, he’s v good and miles better than what we have had historically, bar Bobby and KK.
cleveleysbob
Apr 17, 2020 at 4:31 PM
Comment #16Novo @2. I agree mate, these same people probably drive a vehicle of some sort and as Aramco is the Worlds largest petroleum producer, I’m sure they’ve used their product at some time. If they don’t drive, they’ve probably used Uber occasionally, another PIF owned Company. Their list of investments around the World is huge and they are almost impossible to avoid, so it seems ridiculous to single NUFC out for criticism.
One good thing about this, is that MA won’t give a rats backside about who he sells to, and in fact would probably take some perverse pleasure in putting us into this position, after all we’ve given him sh**e for years, it could be his “up yours” moment while also pocketing the £300M!!
catchy in norway
Apr 17, 2020 at 4:32 PM
Comment #17munster
Its like trying to win the f1 Championship with a ferrari from 95, great at the time, but not fit for purpose now, No matter where Rafa goes, he will never win a league again.
the best teams concentrate on what they can do offensively, so there is a lot less to work on in training, Rafa Concentrates on Defence first second and third, there is no fluidity to how the team transitions from defence to attack, its simply always a break away with only a couple of players exposed, or wait for free kicks/ corners.
18/19 season, NUFC spent the joint 2nd most time in their own 3rd and joint 2nd for the least amount of time in the opposition half. and if anyone thinks its just because its the premiership, in the championship where he had the best team by a country mile, we spent 28% joint 6th worst amount of time in the oppositions half. we just had better players at finishing.
Ron Knee
Apr 17, 2020 at 4:34 PM
Comment #18On Twitter (!) I read Rafa’s buyout clause would be £20 million.
#BoycottAshley ( OP)
Apr 17, 2020 at 4:35 PM
Comment #19All the things to ponder and dream of and the usual suspects are playing the same worn out record.
I want Rafa to come back now and win the Prem Fa cup and the CL.
Maybe then the brothers dim will give it a rest.
Munster Mag
Apr 17, 2020 at 4:36 PM
Comment #20In fairness to the rafa fans maybe Allegri is the same mould as Rafa so I’m up for the Poch. Either way, rafa would do a good job and the fans wud be thrilled, id just like a guy on the up
lesh
Apr 17, 2020 at 4:36 PM
Comment #21Ron Knee
There’s sure to be some insurance cover in place to cover the inability to fulfill contractual liabilities. If that is the case, I suspect that the EPL and the 20 clubs are going through the motions in discussing the possibility of finishing this season having fulfilled all fixtures.
catchy in norway
Apr 17, 2020 at 4:36 PM
Comment #22jib,,
outside of spain which league has he won,, top league, not the championship where his squad was valued at more than the 2nd and 3rd place.
leagues which top in there country, failed in the UK,Italy twice, and when he had the most expensive team in the world Madrid, he failed and the players hated his style.
cleveleysbob
Apr 17, 2020 at 4:38 PM
Comment #23Hibbit, there’s a report today that because testing is voluntary, there are a lot less NHS staff coming forward for testing than expected, giving a surprise amount of spare capacity in the system! However, I agree that if capacity is an issue, I’d rather NHS and care staff were in the queue before footballers.
lesh
Apr 17, 2020 at 4:39 PM
Comment #24If Staveley and her pals want Rafa it’ll be for good reason – a steady pair of hands who knows the game through Europe and has a vision for NUFC. They’d not be recruiting Rafa to win things in the short-term.
Munster Mag
Apr 17, 2020 at 4:40 PM
Comment #25OP give the abuse a rest unless you want me to start abusing you in return.
Assassins Inc
Apr 17, 2020 at 4:40 PM
Comment #26Bring back Pardew #managerthatheadbutts
#onlyjoking
hibbit
Apr 17, 2020 at 4:42 PM
Comment #27catchy its all hypothetical till the takeover goes through,
no one knows if Rafa is even on there list, never mind who they will pick, but if they did chose Rafa i’m sure they will have good reason for doing so,
which i’m pretty sure wont include your opinions,
#BoycottAshley ( OP)
Apr 17, 2020 at 4:43 PM
Comment #28Your abusing everyones patients with the same old vitriol.
Any chance of something different for a change other than 5 reasons you hate Rafa and 5 you dont?
the white tino
Apr 17, 2020 at 4:43 PM
Comment #29What people don’t seem to understand is rafa wouldn’t only take over a manager role if offered, he’d sort the club from kids up, training, dietary the man is obsessed with football and worked at some of the biggest clubs in the world surely 2/3years of rafa guiding club with all his knowledge would be highly worthwhile going forward, and for a younger man to come and take the reigns
#BoycottAshley ( OP)
Apr 17, 2020 at 4:44 PM
Comment #30Hibbit
You could just tell us 😉
catchy in norway
Apr 17, 2020 at 4:45 PM
Comment #31Lesh
im not worried, its a no brainer, he wont get anywhere near us, I just wonder why so many would have him back when the choice would literally be anyone. the one thing all these Middle eastern countries want is what is hot now, cars boats skyskrapers horses you name they want to be the very best or the biggest, and im flumixed as to what in rafas last 10 years would as a major success that would make the new owners chose him. he is a fan fave for sure, but thats it.
these new owners will not care about the fans anymore than Ashley, these new guys only want to win, they will be loved for coming close never mind actually winning.
Munster Mag
Apr 17, 2020 at 4:45 PM
Comment #32Catchy, i can live without winning the league. If Rafa won us the FA Cup, that’s me done, happy. So im not concerned if he’s appointed, but when i see the pace and brio that teams like ajax liverpool and dortmund play, who would not want that. Steve Bruce got the same points as Rafa, albeit with a keeper in hot form. I think he would probably have got us promoted too, with the same squad, given his knowledge of that league. Rafa has great contacts though. I just want more style if possible.
simon376
Apr 17, 2020 at 4:45 PM
Comment #33Hibbit
Thought I would ask, hope you feel you could trust me, hard I know as never met, but wondered if you are ok with it, to get my email fro The Wife and if you feel you can, let me know. I just want to pass the info onto Gavin, we are exchanging emails and texts every day about the takeover, it’s also big news in Canada. Also trying to talk him into logging on here and commenting
JDdubai
Apr 17, 2020 at 4:45 PM
Comment #34People are allowed to rate rafa, people are allowed to appreciate wheat he did but think we need to go in another direction, people are allowed to think he wasnt good. Its not like they are insulting a familty member.
Just because some disagree doesnt mean it needs to leave to arguments, just accept its football and people see things differently.
I wouldnt be angry if he did come back, id just prefer more attractive football to watch. He’s still a better option than Bruce and think at least he would organise the off-field stuff correctly and get things moving.
But currently its all irrelevant as we are still owned by Tubbs………
MagpieRanger
Apr 17, 2020 at 4:45 PM
Comment #35Taken from Reddit, hopefully this settles some nerves.
So, as I’m bored of doing proper legal work, here’s my take on why Martin Samuel, Lee Ryder etc. are almost definitely* wrong about there being a possibility Ashley can still pull the plug on the takeover.
To set the scene, what we’ve seen uploaded onto CH is a document which shows: (i) SJHL (i.e. Newcastle) have loaned an unconfirmed sum to Staveley. This, as per the documents uploaded, is under the “Vendor Loan Agreement”; and (ii) PCP (i.e. Staveley’s firm) have provided security to SJHL. As a result, should Staveley default on her repayment obligations under the Vendor Loan Agreement SJHL will be able to enforce their security against PCP to ensure they are repaid. There’s some confusion among the other lawyers commenting on this point on Twitter but, irrespective of this, what everyone is in agreement about is that these documents impose upon Staveley (and potentially PCP in the event of a default) binding legal obligations. As per the documents we’ve seen, these obligations have existed since 8 April (in regards to the Vendor Loan Agreement, we know this was signed “on or about [this] date”).
Now, as to why this almost certainly suggests the parties (i.e. Ashley, Staveley, PCP and the Saudis) have came to a legally binding agreement in regards to the purchase of the club is as follows: in any reasonably sized commercial transaction there is numerous contracts which will be signed by all parties. We’ve seen some of these, i.e. the security documentation uploaded onto CH, and know others exist, i.e. the Vendor Loan Agreement. All of these contracts once signed provide for legally binding obligations. However, naturally, no party will be satisfied in signing up to these contracts until the main purchase agreement is also signed. This is the Share Purchase Agreement (the “SPA”). By way of example, why would Staveley and PCP be happy to loan funds, be obliged to repay such funds and provide security for such funds if they were not 100% certain (subject to passing the Premier League’s tests) the club was theirs? As a result of this, all documents are “executed” at the same time. The process works as follows:
lawyers on both sides collate their client’s signed signature pages to the various documents;
the various transaction documents are all agreed, with all parties providing express confirmation that they have no further issues;
one set of lawyers (usually the buyers’) then attach all signed signature pages to all documents and date the documents. As to why you see language such as “X agreement signed on or about the date of this agreement” when other transaction documents are cross-referenced is purely logistical i.e. it saves the lawyers having to add another date into the document other than the one at the top;
the lawyers who have dealt with the above then circulate the signed and dated documents to each party, requesting express confirmation that they may come into effect (“releasing” the signatures). This will include all documents, i.e. the SPA, the documents mentioned above and other ancillary documents; and
finally, once all parties have responded to the above, the documents have legal effect. This only occurs once all parties have agreed for each document to come into force.
As a result of the above, the documents we have seen only came into effect because all transaction documents are now signed. Of course, there’s a chance the lawyers have been negligent, but considering how basic this stuff is there is less than 1% of a chance this happened. This why as soon as I saw the documents uploaded to CH I was certain the deal was signed (this was before the reports in the press). My view is that the parties signed all documents on Wednesday last week, which fits with papers being submitted to the Prem for approval before the weekend.
*Ashley could still “refuse to hand the keys over” of course, but this would have serious legal ramifications. In any event, Staveley etc. could apply for a court order which would force Ashley to assign his shares in the club to them.
EDIT: Seems Mark Douglas confirmed on Twitter that the SPA has been signed while I was typing this. Makes my explanation somewhat obsolete but will hopefully settle some more nerves!
Jail for Ashley
Apr 17, 2020 at 4:46 PM
Comment #36Munter,
Not one single player praised Rafa after he left, none except for all those players Reilly listed the last time you came out with the same bullshit.
🙄
simon376
Apr 17, 2020 at 4:46 PM
Comment #37Hibbit
Totally understand if you feel you can’t and sorry if I’m coming across as pushy, won’t mention it again. Let’s just hope we are all celebrating soon and getting those cans out
#BoycottAshley ( OP)
Apr 17, 2020 at 4:47 PM
Comment #38If I was building a empire I’d want a experienced hand on the foundations.
lesh
Apr 17, 2020 at 4:47 PM
Comment #39cleveleysbob
I suspect that comment from government’s an attempt to deflect the clamour for testing NHS staff.
If Hancock really intended to test the staff, and his own honesty, he’d make testing mandatory for those in the front line. Test staff in their workplace or at home if they’re isolating shouldn’t be too much of a problem – if they have suitable tests to hand. Ah but their rests a problem.
Similarly it’s been recently reported that the value of PPE in store had gone down by 40% during the coalition government. Austerity continued after that and as a result, stocks of PPE haven’t been adequately replenished over the years. Hence a shortage.
Meanwhile, they can authorise HS2? Crazy.
Munster Mag
Apr 17, 2020 at 4:48 PM
Comment #40Your abusing everyones patients with the same old vitriol.
Any chance of something different for a change other than 5 reasons you hate Rafa and 5 you dont?
Its not vitriol ffs, its an opinion, geddit??