West Ham United captain Mark Noble has performed a U-turn over the solution to the rest of the season.
The world has been gripped by the coronavirus pandemic.
West Ham were in the thick of a relegation battle when the Premier League was shut down – now until April 30th at the earliest.
Football gets return date but still in limbo
There is a feeling that date is a touch ambitious, although much will depend on how the virus progresses between now and then.
What that would mean for West Ham and other clubs up and down the country remains unclear.
Hammers boss David Moyes placed himself in isolation for a week. He was following the guidelines after cuddling and shaking hands with Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta – who later tested positive for the virus.
But Moyes did not show symptoms and has since come out of isolation.
And West Ham vice-chairman Karren Brady was lambasted for saying the season should be null and void (The Sun).
Noble performs U-turn over playing behind closed doors
Another suggested solution has been to play behind closed doors.
Last week Noble was vehemently against the idea, telling West Ham’s official website it would not be right.
But the ever changing landscape has prompted a U-turn from the Hammers skipper.
Speaking in his latest column in The Evening Standard Noble has completely changed his tune.
“I don’t think any of us realised it was going to be this serious until the last few days, when the Government have begun to announce more severe measures to try to deal with this virus,” Noble said in The Evening Standard.
La Liga chief gives ray of hope
“I wrote in last week’s column that I wouldn’t ideally want that (to play behind closed doors). But with so much income provided by broadcasters such as Sky, all of whom would televise the matches, if that helps people in the clubs to keep their jobs, I would happily play in an empty stadium.”
There was some hope from Spain yesterday when La Liga chief Javier Tebas said he envisages top level football to resume in mid-May.
Tebas remarked it ‘could even be before then’ (Marca).
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