Resumption of football is the last thing on most people’s minds right now—as it should be—there are far more important things that need to be settled. Once football can return, it means most or all of the danger has cleared.
The French Ligue 1 and the Dutch Eredivisie have already cancelled their respective 2019/20 seasons. This decision is a very difficult one for football authorities worldwide. There is no easy choice, one dare say there is no correct choice. Football Associations have to sit down and have extensive discussions on the way forward, they have to assess all the pros and cons of each option.
Canceling the season has benefits and repercussions, as well as finishing the season and ending the season the way it is. Many people seem to be angrily demanding that the Premier League season be cancelled, for many reasons. Those reasons, however, need to be held under the light.
The manner in which the 2019/20 season has transpired creates a lot of ambiguities and no single decision is glaringly correct. The relegation battle is fierce, the race for the top four (or five, depending on Manchester City) is poised brilliantly, the only clear thing visible on the league table is who should be crowned champions.
Why do want the season cancelled? Unfortunately to some, the pandemic is about Liverpool not winning the league. The trivial fans want the season cancelled so the record show that Liverpool have gone another year without lifting a Premier League trophy. This is—to put it mildly—foolish.
Foolish because the only people who like Liverpool are Liverpool fans. Everyone clamors for a fair game and people often pretend to want what is fair, especially in the game of football. Many fans don’t actually hate Liverpool, they just cannot stand their fans, which is understandable. However, when we talk about what to do with the 2019/20 season, many people allow their trivial irritation of Liverpool fans allow them feel it’s fair to want the season cancelled just because of what it would mean for Liverpool.
When Chelsea went a whole season conceding only 15 goals, everyone agreed that Chelsea deserved the title. When Manchester City went on an unprecedented 18-game win streak, everyone agreed that City deserved to win the league. People hate Chelsea and City their fair share, but no team deserves the Premier League title like this Liverpool team deserve the Premier League title. There’s simply no other way to put it.
Liverpool won 27 of 29 games in the league. The Reds snuffed the life out of their rivals. They evaporated the idea of a title race, they made sure there was none. The Liverpool staff and players have worked excruciatingly hard for this title and it is only fair and logical that they are rewarded for their hard work. This, and many other reasons, is why the Premier League should do everything in its power to complete the current season. This is, of course, easier said than done; but the completion of the current season would be a beautiful thing.
Subsequent seasons cannot be started if football can’t resume anyways, so when it is safe for football to continue, the Premier League should prioritize the completion of the season. Some adjustments would have to be made to normalize the timeline and subsequent season schedules, but it can be done. For football.