Football news - The Warm-Up: Football had to stop; it doesn't matter when it starts again

Arguments can be constructed to criticise - heavily - the length of time it took the Premier League, the FA and UEFA to postpone football in England and Europe. The decision, certainly to Wayne Rooney's eyes, was taken later than it should have been. It is hard to disagree.

The reason behind the delay is conjecture - Rooney has his theory as articulated below. Perhaps he is correct that financial considerations were at play, perhaps not. The Premier League certainly could point to the current government advice, which, unlike many of our European counterparts, remains yet to have banned large gatherings.

It did, however, appear common sense - perhaps even basic duty - to postpone the Premier League before Mikel Arteta's diagnosis with the virus.

"The rest of sport - tennis, Formula 1, rugby, golf, football in other countries - was closing down and we were being told to carry on," said Rooney in his first column for the Times.

"After the emergency meeting, at last the right decision was made - until then it almost felt like footballers in England were being treated like guinea pigs.

"I know how I feel. If any of my family get infected through me because I've had to play when it's not safe, and they get seriously ill, I'd have to think hard about ever playing again. I would never forgive the authorities."

Rooney's conviction is so strong that if things had turned out differently he would have considered retirement. These are the realities – and seriousness - of the situation.

Yet, the footballing authorities have many more decisions to make. It appears, at the time of writing, that the two-week postponement represents the tip of the iceberg. The Guardian, amongst others, reported late on Sunday that the coronavirus epidemic could last until the Spring of 2021. Now that is a worst case scenario but what is clear is that there is no chance football resumes on April 4.

When it returns is, at this stage, guesswork. That inevitably raises the prospect of the season not being completed, or perhaps extended. It genuinely doesn't matter when football kicks back into gear again, though. This is now about preservation of life for many, so while some debate whether the season should be annulled or not, or carried on when it is safe to do so, let's all of us just remember that all pales into insignificance when the stark reality bites that this is about life and death.

Let's get back to a point when the safety of the public can be guaranteed and make decisions on the rest from there.

These are words the Warm-Up never thought it would utter but uttering them it is and in caps.

Now, there seems to be some debate as to how best to tackle the spread of this virus. Some have advocated herd immunity (seems a hugely risky concept at this stage of the epidemic) whole others point to social distancing and potential lockdowns.

China and South Korea seem to have been able to limit the spread of the virus through a combination of measures - namely testing, tracking and social distancing. This seems the cautious and correct approach.

Yet, for reasons that fly in the face of logic, some professional leagues are still playing association football.

It is irresponsible. And credit to Gremio players who took a stand ahead of their match with Sao Luiz. There were no spectators allowed in to watch the Gaucho state championship match, which surely is an admission of the associated risks of the coronavirus.

The stand was fully backed by the club.

"This protest by the players to take the field wearing masks makes implicit our support for the championship to be halted," Gremio's director of football Paulo Luz said after the match.

"Life must take precedence."

Indeed. Authorities across the world need to cancel football and do it now.

Though some dinosaurs may say otherwise it is great that Paul Pogba doesn't just solely concentrate on football, otherwise perhaps he wouldn't have the awareness or means to set up a fundraiser that could provide crucial help to those who most need it.

Yeah, but, the haircut.

Giannis Antetokounmpo might just be the best basketball player on the planet. Might be.

His talent is equalled and possibly surpassed by a dedication to his craft.

He also happens to be one of the nicest elite-level athletes in the world according to all reports.

And he proved that again this week when the NBA season was suspended, he elected to donated $100,000 to help fill the void in wages for those who work at his team the Milwaukee Bucks.

He wasn't the only NBA player do so, as rookie Zion Williamson made the same commitment.

However, surely this responsibility should not fall on the Williamson or Antetokounmpo - surely the slack should be taken up by the government? Surely, at a time of crisis, the government should step in to protect those in need.

Anyone who finds Mrs Brown's Boys funny should not be afforded the responsibility of watching a television because they clearly do not understand it.

Donald McRae is always an excellent interviewer. However, it is always helpful when his interviewee case is a fairly complex, nuanced and misunderstood character.

“During his last stint at Leicester, when he saved them from relegation the season before they shocked everyone and won the Premier League in 2016, Pearson could be prickly," write McRae of Pearson in his profile in the Guardian.

"But losing his job in June 2015 broadened his vision. He discovered hiking and painting. He read and worked on his history degree. After a year away Pearson went back into football and soon fell out with Mel Morris, the chairman of Derby County, in October 2017. For the next 11 months he drew breath away from the game before accepting an offer to manage OH Leuven in the Belgian second division. Pearson “loved” his time in Belgium, where he helped design the kit and managed a team in front of average crowds of 4,500 for 17 months."

The Warm-Up remembers watching this live or maybe as a highlight while a top footballing hipster as a university undergraduate way back when.

Alas, this clip does not have commentary but, if memory serves correctly, it went a little something like this:

"Holy smokes! Dwayne De Rosario with the lightning bolt."

Halcyon days.

Anyway, De Rosario is currently plying his trade for Mississauga MetroStars in an indoor league in Canada at the age of 41.

There is no football. Absolutely the correct decision.