LEEDS UNITED managing director Angus Kinnear believes it is “vital” the football season is finished – even if that means playing behind closed doors.
All professional football has been postponed until April 3 at the earliest due to the coronavirus pandemic that has rocked the world.
Leeds United’s managing director is adamant the season must be concluded after suspension due to the coronavirusCredit: Getty Images – Getty
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Leeds currently occupy top spot in the Championship and look on course for a return to the Premier League.
But there still remains doubts over whether the current season will be concluded, with a number of people already calling for it to be scrapped.
Kinnear, who insisted the club’s first priority is the welfare of his staff, is adamant the campaign needs to be concluded.
The chief told Football Daily: “Our first priority like most businesses is for the health and well being of our staff.
“We met again this morning to look at what we needed to do to keep our players, our staff and the broader Leeds United family safe.
“We already took measures last week so the training ground’s effectively locked down for all but first-team activities. We’ve got individuals self-isolating in line with government regulations if they feel they are unwell.
“We’ve also taken steps this morning to send anyone who’s in a high-risk or vulnerable group home and as of tomorrow we’ll be moving to a skeleton staff so it will just be the key operational business in the building.”
Speculation continues to be rampant over what will happen regarding the current league standings, with calls ranging from making it null and void, scrapping the Euros to extend the season or simply finishing it with a series of behind closed doors matches.
Kinnear is one of those who is determined to see the season finished, once it is safe to do so.
He said: “What we’ve heard from the broader football family over the last couple of days is a groundswell of opinion is that the right thing to do is complete the leagues.
“At the moment it’s not a time to be talking about football, it’s a time for cool heads and patience. I don’t think anyone needs to jump to any immediate solutions.
“But I think the broad principle that you maintain the integrity of the competitions and that when the time comes and it’s safe to do so you finish the leagues, I think everybody is starting to feel that is the right thing to do.
“It’s certainly our opinion, we think it maintains the integrity of the football pyramid, the integrity of the competitions.
“It allows some solution to some of the financial issues that the clubs are going to be looking to face.
“So I think, although it’s difficult to put a time scale on it, finishing the leagues across Europe is the right thing to do.
“I think we’ve heard that from Serie A and La Liga who believe that the Euros are suspended it could potentially provide a window for leagues across Europe to complete.”
Kinnear also sees any option other than finishing the campaign at a later date as a ‘last resort’.
He added: “I think it’s too early to speculate on those types of solutions. Hopefully they are last resorts. I think if the only way to complete a league is to play behind closed doors then that’s something we’d have to consider.
“We’d like our supporters to be in to witness the remainder of the season and that would be our first objective.
“But if it’s only safe to play behind closed doors and it’s the only way to complete the league then that’s also an option.
“I think by playing the games it helps the clubs financially, particularly clubs further down the pyramid, so I think that’s a solution.
“And I think the suggestion that the leagues are just voided, probably don’t have enough support to happen and the concept that the Premier League would just pull up the drawbridge on the rest of the football pyramid, I don’t think it’s something that would have the support of the football family or the wider supporting public.”
The EFL issued a statement this morning confirming no plans are yet in place regarding the conclusion of the season and that they will meet later in the week for further discussions.
Leeds promotion in doubt as EFL admit they do not know what will happen after season postponed due to coronavirus
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
