Coronavirus: Steve Cooper says Swansea City will discuss 'what ifs' if season cannot resume

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Steve CooperImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Steve Cooper won the under-17s World Cup as England manager

Swansea City boss Steve Cooper says the club will have to discuss the "what ifs" facing football in the wake of the coronavirus suspension.

Elite football in Britain has been halted until at least 3 April as a result of the spread of coronavirus.

There is wide conjecture on when and if the season can resume, and what will happen if games cannot be rescheduled.

"It is a unique situation," Cooper told BBC Radio Wales Sport. "It does seem anything is possible."

The Premier League said fixtures will resume on 4 April subject to "conditions at the time".

But BBC sports editor Dan Roan says starting again on that date is privately deemed "almost impossible".

So far, the Premier League and EFL have been aligned on scheduling.

Both Welsh clubs in the Championship are still chasing promotion, with Cardiff City two points and the Swans three points off a play-off place.

BBC football reporter Simon Stone has explained there are three options for what to do in the event of further delays and it not being possible to complete the season:

  • Declare the season void - and restart next season with the same teams that started this one in the same division;

  • Have promotion and relegation, using this season's positions as they currently are;

  • Have promotion and relegation, using a system involving play-offs.

Cooper says the Swans will need to come to a consensus as a club as to where they stand.

"It is all over the press about the what ifs," he added.

"Because we are only 24 hours on from the suspension, I can't say that we as a club have sat down and thought about our position on the what ifs.

"But I am sure we will have to do that, because it seems this is only the start of the suspension. Who knows how long this will last?

"At some point we will need to sit down and discuss what our view as a club is, a consensus on what our stance is. It is a really tricky situation and we are really in the infancy of a unique and difficult situation."

Media caption,

Coronavirus: Football Focus pundits - Premier League season 'delay' is 'most sensible'

Cooper says he has been prioritising "the moral element" of wanting players and staff to be able to look after family members.

"When something like this is going on you just want to be at home with your family and just make sure you've got your house in order," Cooper added.

"We are definitely giving the players and staff the time to do that. If anyone has elderly relatives or family members with underlying health issues, we want to give everybody the opportunity to have that time at home.

"It is a bit more complicated with the lads who are foreign. We've got a couple of French lads and Dutch lads in the squad and that is not as easy a situation because the government guidance is not to travel if you don't need to."

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