Arsenal look set to be without Kieran Tierney for the weekend’s clash with Manchester City, DESPITE testing negative for Coronavirus, and I believe that this should have been avoided.
Our club is strongly trying to figure out a way to return Tierney to England, after he travelled north to join up with his international squad, before coming into ‘contact’ with a fellow player who in turn tested positive.
Tierney himself is already believed to have tested positive for the virus earlier in 2020, and he could well have antibodies which may well have fought off the virus, but that is a whole new argument…
With quarantine and guidelines being set in many places due to the vast spread of the Coronavirus in recent months, surely the powers that be could have found a way to move any unnecessary fixtures to a later date, especially when so many professional players around Europe are testing positive on a regular basis at present.
Cristiano Ronaldo is the latest high-profile name to test positive for the virus, days after posting a picture of himself with his Portugal squad sat at a table eating together, but in Serie A, groups of positive results are a weekly issue.
ESPN reported that Napoli were refused permission to travel to Turin to take on Juventus, a week after they demolitioned Genoa who were missing a large chunk of their squad to the virus before their next fixture was postponed, and you have to ask if these international matches should even have gone ahead…
SkySports reported that New Zealand have moved to call off their upcoming friendly against England next month, and I don’t understand why all international fixtures couldn’t have been delayed, apart from maybe the remaining European Championships qualifiers. Those could have been planned to be played in a bubble however, similarly to way the Europa League and Champions League were completed during August.
Is it crazy that Tierney could be refused to return in time for the Man City clash? Is it stupid altogether that players have been made to travel to join up with their international sides amidst a wave of positive tests amongst footballers at present?
Patrick
Hell yeah!! Stop interrupting club football!
They are an absolute waste of time and also in current climate, a disturbance and disruption to our squad, especially where covid and isolation is concerned. Needless, pointless and totally unimportant games that should be stopped.
Very good point. When the conditions are not favourable they should be stopped.
Reading all the posts it seems most people outside of the footballing bodies, dont want players flying all round the world, taking risks and spreading the virus. Players can end up, not playing for their country after flying and not for their team either. Ludicrous!
Yep, don’t watch them, disinterested as are most of the players. Only time I’ll watch as an out of season filler.
To hold Internationals in the midst of a Global Pandemic is totally irresponsible and is an example of the illogical thinking which sadly abounds from UEFA and indeed other administrative bodies who are charged with running the game..Their failure to recognise the dangers of committing hundreds of players on flights throughout Europe at a time when citizens throughout the Continent are being urged to minimise travel beggars belief.This is not a time to play international football matches.
Totally agree……
Friendlies should off been scrapped. They are an unnecessary risk.
The Nations League with my limited knowledge of it is being used to help smaller nations qualify for major tournaments.
If Nations League games were cancelled there wouldn’t be enough time to play them with the Euro’s next summer and the World Cup the summer after.
All that being said internationals should not be played at the moment and some other solutions should of been implemented.
GREED is that is allowing those stupid friendlies to be played in these awful times. The whole world is on lockdown but sure sure let’s sends thousands of players flying all over the globe for useless matches.
I agree completely. And if players come black with covid it could have a big effect is n the league.
Is it worth it?
I would have agreed with your point if Scotland never won all 3 games. (I’m from scotland)