Footballers and CoronaVirus

[Antepli Ejderha]

I think it's giving an air of normality which is making people complacent. France is looking like it's ending cross border sport, Ray posted on that in the rugby thread.

[Fussbudget]

Surely actually playing carries few risks (open air and so on)

There have been games (e.g. Wednesday v Derby mentioned upthread) where players have tested positive on both sides a few days after playing each other so that doesn't seem clear-cut to me, especially if the new variant is more easily transmitted.

[DCI Harry Batt]

Yeah I don't think it's right to assume that playing football is very low risk right now. It might well be worth trying to work out ways of eliminating communal changing, showers, travel etc though, sure.

[Satchmo Distel]

If Villa are unable to field a recognisable first team I would expect the game to be postponed, in the same way as several previous matches involving other clubs have been.

The EPL will gradually run out of space to play the rescheduled games without going to 4 games in every 8 days, then the BRCs will go apeshit.

I'm also wondering if the World Cup Qualifiers can start in March given likely travel restrictions on cross-border sport.

[NickSTFU]

OK. It was a photo from Instagram I think of a lot of Shrewsbury players together in a house. It was posted on Christmas Eve by one of the players saying it had been a tough year but they had got through.

There was some debate whether it was a photo taken on Christmas Eve or not. But that's when it was posted.

It's one player, with the employees from his company.

There is the suggestion that the photo is from Xmas 2019, but obviously, only one person knows if that's true.

[Patrick Thistle]

It's one player, with the employees from his company.

There is the suggestion that the photo is from Xmas 2019, but obviously, only one person knows if that's true.

The photo had gone when I went back to check so thanks for clarifying.

[Antepli Ejderha]

Celtic confirm one Covid-19 case two days after squad returned from Dubai training trip - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55611659

What we're they thinking?

[fatbear]

With the Arsenal and Manchester City women footballers also get the virus in Dubai, it doesn't seem like a good place to go to............

[Simon G]

An old work colleague of mine has been in Dubai since around November and posting stories on Instagram non-stop. You honestly wouldn't believe there was a pandemic judging by the videos she posts.

[Mumpo]

Celtic confirm one Covid-19 case two days after squad returned from Dubai training trip - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55611659

What we're they thinking?

"Cancel the season now!!"

[DCI Harry Batt]

I see the government is having a pop at footballers again, as part of its new harder line "it's your fault, nowt to do with us" strategy. Fuck 'em.

[Antepli Ejderha]

Celtic confirm one Covid-19 case two days after squad returned from Dubai training trip - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55611659

What we're they thinking?

Apparently the player concerned was already injured and didn't take part in any of the sessions, they contacted it and forced everyone else to isolate. The curse of 10.

[Ray de Galles]

Scottish lower leagues & Scottish Cup suspended for three weeks

[Satchmo Distel]

I don't see how those tiers can resume unless they merge this season with the next in some way. Highland League is already suspended after only resuming about 6 weeks ago. The Scottish Cup must be in jeopardy.

Celtic have to play tonight and Saturday with 15 players unavailable who are isolating. Fuck 'em.

[Satchmo Distel]

Can the European competitions still be completed in home and away format or are we looking again at single games over a fortnight, or third country venues for the British club home legs?

[Patrick Thistle]

WTAF were Celtic doing having a training camp in Dubai?

[Snake Plissken]

Judging by the pictures I saw, I would put "training camp" in quotes.

[E10 Rifle]

I see the government is having a pop at footballers again, as part of its new harder line "it's your fault, nowt to do with us" strategy. Fuck 'em.

The government and the football authorities think 'elite sport' is safe to continue with. They therefore bear more responsibility for Covid lapses than Chorley players doing a celebration or Crosby residents standing on pavements.

And, again, fuck all this "footballers as example-setters" bollocks.

[Ray de Galles]

Can the European competitions still be completed in home and away format or are we looking again at single games over a fortnight, or third country venues for the British club home legs?

France has already banned its teams from cross-border fixtures, leading to the European rugby competitions being paused.

[Satchmo Distel]

Scott Parker can fuck off:

https://www.espn.com/soccer/tottenha...earranged-game

[fatbear]

Actually, even though as a Brighton supporter I would like Fulham to lose, Parker has a strong case in that springing a fixture on them at short notice puts them at a big disadvantage, and he could have picked a different side if they knew that had a league game on Wednesday

That said, I'm not sure it would make too much difference to the result..........

[Ray de Galles]

Yeah, what's the objection to Parker's complaint?

[Satchmo Distel]

My objection would be that in these COVID times you have to accept some flexibility. OTOH I can see how this may have been done to help a BRC (Spurs) avoid fixture congestion, and that the EPL would not have done this if the positions were reversed.

[fatbear]

Can you imagine the noise had it been Liverpool, Manchester City or Tottenham rather than Fulham ?

[pebblethefish]

Although Scott Parker can fuck off, just not for this reason.