BOURNEMOUTH skipper Simon Francis, our new Premier League columnist, will be giving regular updates from behind the scenes as the coronavirus outbreak impacts on football across the country.
IT is not just us professionals who are wondering when we will be able to kick a ball in anger again.
Simon Francis says kids will miss the fun and spirit of football academies as they take time off during the coronavirus crisis
Cherries skipper took over the academy when pal Harry Arter was loaned out
Players at grassroots level have been advised to suspend activity, which will be frustrating five-a-side lovers up and down the country.
I may play in the Premier League but I have a special connection with the amateur game because of the kids’ coaching I do.
Two years ago I took over the foundation my friend, Harry Arter, had set up after he left the area when Bournemouth loaned him out.
It is now called The Simon Francis Academy and is thriving . . . or at least it was before all this craziness began.
We coach children from five years old up to 16 nearly every night of the week at nearby schools and have an Under-16 side in the local Sunday league.
Wednesday nights are our most popular with up to 100 kids playing — including my five-year-old, Jude, who is in the Mini-Kickers group.
The business is going to take a hit. But the bigger picture is everybody is healthy and if that means kids staying at home, then so be it.
Simon Francis
Whether we go ahead tonight is still up in the air.
The schools are yet to be closed, so we are considering whether or not to go ahead with it.
Understandably, parents may want to keep their kids at home at this time.
So, from a business perspective, it would be pointless employing six coaches, plus paying for the hire of the pitches and have no one turn up.
Fees are paid upfront and we have three weeks left of the term, so we will have to offer refunds if we cancel the sessions or roll them over to after Easter — if we’re still going then. Then there is the matter of our staff.
Head coach Jack Brooks is our only full-time employee and he basically does everything.
The other coaches are paid by the hour and, sadly, we may not have any work for them for some time.
We are realistic that the business is going to take a hit. But the bigger picture is that everybody is healthy and if that means kids staying at home, then so be it.
Simon Francis is resigning himself to the sad likelihood of coaching kids stopping for a long time after this weekCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Frankly, this could be the last week of coaching for a while.
On that note, the current suspension in the Premier League and EFL was pretty much the only topic of conversation for Harry, our pal Matt Harrold (below) and me when we met up on Monday afternoon.
Harry is on loan at Fulham and I popped up to Surrey to see him in his new place and the three of us went out for lunch.
It will be the last time for a while because, as I was driving home, Boris Johnson was making his announcement warning people not to go to restaurants and bars.
Harry is at the other end of the scale to us at Bournemouth, where we’re fighting relegation.
Liverpool are so far ahead it would take something catastrophic for them not to win their first Prem title. Crowning them champs would be the right thing to do.
Simon Francis
He is chasing promotion to the Premier League with the Cottagers, so is desperate for their remaining fixtures to be played.
When I mentioned the idea some have had of simply promoting Leeds and West Brom because they are in the Championship automatic spots, it did not go down well with him!
That suggestion would be ridiculous. Fulham are just six points behind, so there is no way they could do that.
Awarding Liverpool the title would be the only exception.
They are so far ahead at the top it would take something catastrophic for them not to win their first Premier League title.
I would not be aggrieved by crowning them champions — it would be the right thing to do.
But it would come down to a majority vote, as many things would.
The problem is, would the Reds feel as happy celebrating in the circumstances, with no fans and no open-top bus parade?
Fulham were planning on training this week but I think they’re going to have to wait until next week, when we are also due to be back at the training ground. My good friend Matt is at Leyton Orient, where training has also been put back to next week.
He is keeping fit on his own in the gym. Matt is still getting paid, like we are, but appearance money plays a big part at that level.
And at 35, playing games is very important to him and his contract is up in the summer.
Matt wants to play for one more season and move into coaching.
The O’s value him and his experience, so he hopes to get an opportunity there.
He gets on well with boss Ross Embleton and director, Martin Ling.
I cannot see our home game with Newcastle on April 4 going ahead but we have to remain professional and act as if it will.
It is frustrating. We all want to get back as soon as possible, from the Premier League to grassroots.
But the reality is it is likely the wait will be longer than we all first thought.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
