Eredivisie may point the way for the Premier League

01/05/20 3975

Last week it was announced that the top two leagues in the Netherlands will not be completed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

There will be no champions or relegations. The country has also banned all sporting events until September.

The move may well point the way for the English Premier League. Depending on which report you read, the English top-flight is either preparing for an imminent return to action or clubs have doubts over whether the campaign will conclude.

The hope is that the league will return in the next few months, but if not then there needs to be a plan b.

As all leagues are different, they all have different plans with how to deal with the remainder of the 2019/20 season. The Eredivisie’s approach is likely to be followed by other leagues. It could even be an approach used by the English Premier League.

There may be a slight adjustment to the Eredivisie’s approach, as league leaders Liverpool are 25 points clear and the Premier League may well award the Reds the title. Whereas in the Dutch top-flight, only goal difference separated champions Ajax from challengers AZ Alkmaar.

What is positive is that the Dutch FA have made a concrete decision and it is nice to see some clarity from a major league. While most other leagues are hoping for a return to action in the near future, Dutch football fans now know there will be no football for the next few months. That eliminates the constant speculation.

What works for the Eredivisie may not work for the Premier League. There will always be winners and losers from any cancellation of a sporting event.

In the English Premier League, there is also the massive television and sponsorship deals involved to think about. Cancelling the rest of the season is the last resort in England, but if it the decision is reached to cancel the remainder of the campaign, then maybe the Dutch approach is not the worst way of settling things.