Alan Biggs at Large: Sheffield United suffered most from Covid postponement of matches

A football column on Sheffield United is lacking one vital ingredient. Football.
General view inside the stadium of the Sheffield United Ground. Getty Images.General view inside the stadium of the Sheffield United Ground. Getty Images.
General view inside the stadium of the Sheffield United Ground. Getty Images.

It’s probably because football itself is lacking one vital ingredient. Integrity.

And while no club is entirely blameless when it comes to stretching the rules, in a game dominated by rampant self-interest, Sheffield United are clearly the innocent victims of the sport’s failure of self-governance.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

This manifests itself in so many forms that the push for an independent regulator is gathering pace.

But the fixture pile-up crisis facing the Blades is symptomatic of where the football authorities are failing.No club suffered more savagely from the copious postponements meekly allowed by the EFL amid the latest surge of Covid cases.

Because there was no clear and transparent criteria, clubs were at liberty to manipulate postponements rather than play on without key performers.

By the time the EFL got tough and attempted to force Middlesbrough to play at Bramall Lane on New Year’s Day, they were met with what was almost unarguably a genuine case from a club that had ploughed through three games in six days.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

But that was of no consolation or comfort to United who were rendered inactive, for no fault of their own, for the fourth time in December.

It is too late to repair such damage with the club’s play-off pursuit severely jeopardised by the crush of games to come.

But there has to be a consistent and demonstrable criteria for the sake of the fairness of competition.Does the testing have to be so stringent? Should the protocols be relaxed?

That’s potentially controversial but, without being anywhere close to expertise, it does seem to me that in the vast majority of cases Covid is tantamount to a cold at worst for young, fit and healthy athletes.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

It’s certain that many, or most, will have played in far worse physical conditions in the past. Which doesn’t necessarily make it right to do so. There have been some severe cases and, with people recovering at different rates, player welfare is important.

Whatever the solution, and there will be other views for sure, one has to be found not only to negotiate the rest of this season but conceivably the future beyond.Games can’t be called off to suit some clubs when others are prepared to play. An independent checking system, with inspectors visiting afflicted clubs, might be one solution. But is it practicable?

In the meantime, a level of honesty is required with a desire to play at its heart. With the games stacking up, maybe the solution is that clubs generally will have no option but to adopt this.

Related topics: