Football was so desperate to do the right thing - but ended up getting it horribly wrong.
Rather than cancel all this weekend’s fixtures, they should have given fans the chance to pay their respects after the death of the Queen. Instead, we were left with a blank fixture list in the Premier League, EFL and, perhaps most bizarrely of all, around three million kids were banned from playing because the Football Association shut down grassroots football.
On Friday, I felt it was the right thing to do to postpone games - and yet 24 hours later it was obvious that it was completely the wrong thing. Saturday felt so empty without football. By Sunday, it was even worse. It is hard to be too critical of football’s decision makers because they would be damned if they did and damned if they didn’t. It was a no-win situation.
But however you paint it, it looks the wrong call. We were left with a blank weekend with other sports playing on and leaving football looking out of step with the mood of the nation. In fairness, it was easier for cricket as they were able to call off Friday’s play in England’s Test match with South Africa as a mark of respect.
But they were able to take a break, resume on Saturday and it felt right they should play after very poignant scenes and tributes. The Oval had one of the first public renditions of God Save The King and it was a powerful, collective moment. The sort which only sport can bring, providing a powerful voice for the nation. It was the same for rugby and golf and it is hard to imagine the Queen, who loved sport, would have wanted the weekend’s calendar to shut down.
A period of respect was needed and it is easy to look back with hindsight but equally that is when you need strong leadership and foresight.This was never about football fearing what the fans might do. That was not a topic of conversation among Premier League clubs when coming to the decision on Friday morning.
That would be patronising and wrong. Supporters are intelligent and respectful enough to choose their moments and the vast majority wanted that opportunity to come together this weekend. There would have been powerful moments and strong images from Premier League and EFL grounds up and down the country with the minute’s silence and respect before kick-offs.
Just look at the West Ham fans singing the national anthem before their Europa Conference League game last Thursday. It made the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. It was wonderful and incredibly moving and powerful. Sport has a remarkable ability to sum up feelings and because football is our national sport, what happened this weekend would have resonated with far more people. They look to football as their guide. It sets the mood of the nation.
Now, even with the Premier League and the EFL giving the go-ahead for games to restart this week and be played next weekend, the opportunity has gone. Tributes next weekend will arguably not be as powerful as if they had been done this weekend. There was a long-held expectation in football that games would be postponed when the Queen died and it did feel as if the Department of Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) almost bottled it by leaving the individual sports to decide for themselves.
Surely they should have given more official Government guidance rather than leave football hung out to dry. After all, if they declare Bank Holidays then they should be strong enough to have a say on football rather than leave the Premier League and the EFL to face the music.
The FA’s reasoning on calling off grassroots football - and cancelling matches for around three million kids this weekend was the Queen was their patron and the Duke of Cambridge, Prince William, their president. It was a mark of respect.
But you cannot expect three million kids to stay at home doing nothing. Surely the Queen would not have wanted that. Instead, they are left kicking their heels at home.
We are so obsessed with trying to do the right thing that we far too often do the complete opposite. The intentions were well placed but ultimately they have left football looking horribly out of step with the rest of the nation.
