It is an almost insoluble problem that will have to solve, from this Friday, the working group of the French Football Federation (FFF) responsible for planning the rest of the season for the regional and departmental championships, at a standstill. since early November.
This group, where all the Leagues will be represented, hopes to submit its proposals in mid-December to the Comex (Executive Committee), for validation.
While certain common rules will be enacted, several scenarios will be considered so that each League can choose the most appropriate option depending on the progress of its competitions.
The task promises to be arduous, especially since the starting point of this new calendar, which depends directly on the date of deconfinement, is still unknown.
Within the authorities, no one believes in any case to a resumption of meetings in December.
The start of next year seems a more plausible hypothesis.
Despite this X factor, authorities have started to think on their own, and some trends are already starting to emerge.
A system of play-offs and play-downs envisaged
One thing is certain: last season's rules, with only one run per hen, will not be updated.
“Doing this two years in a row is unmanageable,” explains Michel Gendre, the deputy chairman who will be the voice of Hauts-de-France within the working group.
Some championships would have too many teams.
"
Another phenomenon that the leaders want to avoid: establish rankings in the quotient, namely according to the average points per game played, as had been the case after the abrupt end of the previous exercise.
The objective is therefore to complete the first leg matches at all costs.
Stall the Coupe de France
“Thus, we will have a ranking with teams that have all met, blows Michel Gendre.
It is the most logical and fair.
The competition will therefore resume on the day it stopped.
“The Leagues will then have to make a choice that could prove to be complicated.
Those who have enough time can try to compete in the return phase.
“We will already have to set the deadline to complete the championship,” recalls the deputy president.
We never went even until June 30.
Will we be able to push this time until July 15?
There is also the problem of changes to be taken into account ... "
For the others, play-offs between the first four and play-downs between the last four, according to a formula yet to be defined, are considered to determine the acceding and relegated.
In this overloaded calendar, it will also be necessary to stall the Coupe de France, the 6th and 7th round of which have been postponed.
The FFF would consider this competition as a priority, especially since it concerns the clubs of Ligue 1 and 2. It is therefore possible that French amateur football will restart with the Coupe de France, perhaps over several consecutive weeks.