Health not football the priority, says Barber

Paul Barber says it is ‘absolutely out of the question’ that football can start again until ‘it is absolutely safe to do so.’

Bruce Talbot

2020-04-05T06:00:00Z

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Albion’s chief executive and deputy chairman has reiterated that it is the Premier League’s intention to complete the season but said that health remains the priority during the coronavirus crisis.

He said, “The uncertainty is very difficult to deal with not just on a business and sporting level, but on a personal level as well.

“So as much as we want to complete the season we also are realistic and increasingly pragmatic about the challenges the country is facing. This is a national emergency and we can’t be blind to that.

“But we also know that football plays a massive part in people’s lives. However, at the moment, we can’t really think about that too much. People’s health is the priority and we have to be sensible. We cannot simply return to play football if it’s not safe to do so - that’s absolutely out of the question.

“When you start seeing 400, 500, 600 people dying every day in this country you are shocked. That gives you a sense of perspective about what is really important at the moment. Despite some of the stories we have read, I don’t think football clubs are immune or ignorant to that. Quite the opposite in fact.

“Of course, we want to try and get our business back to working again as soon as we can. But in this environment, only when it is safe to do so. To try and put a business like football back together when it is not safe to do so isn’t going to happen.”