In England the season is to be played to the end of the season. One of the ideas on how this could be achieved is a radical proposal regarding the length of the season.
The efforts to continue the Premier League season during the Corona crisis have resulted in a radical proposal in England.
As the Daily Mail reports, matches during the rest of the season could be shorter rather than 90 minutes.
In this regard, the paper quotes Gordon Taylor, the executive director of the English players’ union (PFA).
Taylor: “Many suggestions are being made”
He had said in a radio interview on BBC 4: “We do not know what the future will bring. But we do know what ideas are being brought into play now. More substitutions, half-times of less than 45 minutes, neutral venues. “A lot of suggestions are being made.”
These suggestions are all aimed at reducing the players’ vulnerability to injury after such a long forced interval. In England, the season has been suspended since 9 March due to the Corona pandemic. It could continue in the second week of June at the earliest. Until then the players would have had no playing practice for three months.
So far they cannot even train.
In the end, however, the decisive factor would be whether there was enough time to finish the season and, above all, to finish it without risk.
The idea of shortening the two halves of the season will be put on the agenda during the decisive talks this week about a possible restart, they said.
EFL: Reduce the burden on players
The idea also met with interest from the English Football League (EFL), the league association below the Premier League.
In a video conference with the Sports Commission of the British Parliament, EFL boss Rick Parry said: “Talks have taken place to discuss increasing the number of substitutions to five and the goal (to shorten the games, editor’s note).