Global football is currently on pause for the most part, but the Premier League is moving towards a restart June 17, with matches to be played behind closed doors, mostly in home venues. There are still some questions regarding Project Restart, but contact training is back, and there is high confidence that the PL will return soon and complete the season.
Until football does restart, we still have plenty of news items to cover and analyze. So let’s take a spin through the Liverpool newsphere in cyberspace.
When Liverpool finally end their three decade title drought it could be in match staged at a neutral venue, according to ESPN. The Daily Mail suggests that police forces in the UK are clamoring for certain high-profile games to be played at neutral stadiums instead due to concerns of large numbers of people congregating outside.
A statement from the Premier League reads: “The Premier League’s ambition is to complete all of our remaining fixtures this season home and away, where possible.
“We are working with our clubs to ensure risks are assessed and minimised, while cooperating with the police at a local and national level. Discussions with the National Police Chiefs’ Council and UK Football Policing Unit have been positive and are continuing. We are prepared for all outcomes and have a neutral-venue contingency.”
It is thought that Wembley Stadium would be the ideal venue choice for neutral site matches.
Elsewhere, one of the most iconic players for the Merseyside club’s greatest rivals is seeking to emulate the Reds in the side that he now currently leads. Ryan Giggs, who was a part of Manchester United in some capacity for 29 years, says he wants to bring the
“With the obvious pause in the season because of Covid-19, I think there’s a lot of questions still to be answered,” Giggs said.
“But I think what we have seen this year is Liverpool are a fantastic team, managed by a great coach Jurgen Klopp and, it pains me to say it as a United fan, but they have been fantastic this season.
“Obviously they’ll go on and, whatever way it is, they’ll win the league and deserve it. They’ve had two brilliant seasons actually, last year pushing Man City all the way. They’re a great team to watch.”
“There were certain things that I’ve taken out of the way that Liverpool play, and taking it on to the way that I want to do with Wales.”
“Hopefully United will bridge that gap and catch them up. But you have to give credit where credit is due and Liverpool have been fantastic this season.”
Finally, former Reds boss Brendan Rodgers has revealed that he had contracted coronavirus in March. The Leicester City manager, and his wife, both recovered fully from COVID-19.
“Me and my wife had it just after [the season] broke up,” Rodgers said BBC Radio Leicester.
“A week later I really started to struggle, I had no smell and no taste. I had no strength, and I really struggled, and my wife was the same as well. I got tested and we both had it.”
“I could hardly walk. It reminded me of climbing Mt. Kilamanjaro, as you climb higher you get more breathless. Walking 10 yards felt very different. I went for a run, and I just couldn’t do it.”
“I felt really weak, had no real appetite, and had a weird sensation for three weeks of having no taste.”
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” regularly contributes to WGN TV, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Now and SB Nation.
You can follow Banks, a former writer for Chicago Tribune.com, on Twitter and his cat on Instagram.