Good Morning. It's Wednesday 13th May, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road...
EFL meeting will define season
The EFL will hold crucial talks today with all 72 clubs via a video conference call which will define the 2019/20 season, and may have huge repercussions for the future.
Clubs outside the top flight have been hit hard by the economic impact of the coronavirus. The bottom team in the Premiership (Norwich) earn 97m more then Leeds, top of the Championship - where is the fairness in that? The financial predicament of clubs in the lower leagues are even worse than the Championship. Most League one and two clubs live hand to mouth and rely heavily on supporters coming through the turnstiles to balance the books. The last two months have seen many clubs stare bankruptcy in the face as they wait for today's meeting to put them out of their misery.
It is expected time will be called on Leagues One and Two with the remainder of the matches mathematically concluded via a points per game tally. It's a shame this decision was not made sooner.
The EFL will introduce new measures today in a bid to try and persuade Championship clubs to fulfil their remaining 9 games.
Out of contract players will certainly be high on the agenda as their contracts expire at the end of June. This would leave teams desperately short of players as in recent years clubs outside the Premier League have relied on talent being passed down, improving the quality of the lower league team, but providing valuable experience for the stars of the future. It has been revealed today that both Ben White and Jack Harrison are set to sign short term extensions.
The EFL have supported clubs that want to play their remaining games at their home grounds but this would require approval from the government, who have made it clear that the risk of large social gatherings must be avoided.
Former player Noel Whelan believes that playing matches at neutral venues will make no difference!
That is the way that it is but fans have cars, they can travel to neutral venues.
Leeds fans will celebrate, just like Liverpool fans will celebrate if they win the title. Whether it be in the street, in the park, outside the stadium – it makes no difference.
You cannot control people’s decisions and what they do. All you can control is the football side of it.
If people gather outside the ground the police would have to do the job that they would normally do in and around the community which is disperse them and get them away.
You will not get thousands and thousands there. It will be a very small minority.
The play off's are likely to be one leg at a neutral ground, with the final being played at Wembley.
To help fitness levels which may have dropped over the last eight weeks, the International Football Association Board have temporarily increased the number of substitutes allowed in a game to five.
There will be specific points in a match where they can be used to save time.
Approval is currently being sought from the Government regarding a return to training. Once this has been obtained, and all being well, a start date can be set.
