Granit Xhaka and Jose Mourinho recently exchanged words on social media after it emerged that the Arsenal midfielder had turned down the vaccine, and manager Mikel Arteta has now been asked his stance on the subject.
The 28 year-old returned early from international duty last week after testing positive for Covid-19, before his international boss revealed that Granit was his only unvaccinated player to have joined up with the squad, before he had to be sent home.
Jose Mourinho took to Instagram to urge Xhaka to get himself vaccinated however, simply putting: “Get the jab Granit and be safe”.
Arteta has now been quizzed on his stance on the subject ahead of his side’s clash with Norwich tomorrow, and he insists that getting the vaccine is ‘the right thing to do’.
‘We are trying to explain all the reasons why we believe it’s the right thing to do,’ Arteta said in his pre-match press conference(via the Metro).
‘How much it will protect first of all the club, second of all the teammates and the environment they’re around. The exposure around if they don’t do it.
‘At the end it’s a really personal thing. Obviously they will be limited in certain aspects if they don’t because we don’t want to expose ourselves in certain things.
‘In the end it’s a personal matter, not an obligation and we have to respect that.’
While I believe the players should be vaccinated especially because of how closely they work together in training and in the dressing room etc, you could argue that Xhaka should now be protected after contracting the virus, and should have similar antibodies fighting against it now.
Patrick
Perhaps he has his reasons for not taken the vaccine,its a personal choice.
Sums up Xhaka tbh this. He really can’t see any further than himself. As Arteta says being vaccinated protects not only himself but his family/friends some of whom might be vulnerable. More importantly, it’s a bad message to send out to people of his age, we won’t get out of this pandemic until nearly all the population has taken the jab.
@SM
RealTalk Gooner…👍🏿
As this isn’t only Xhaka,as most people will slate him no matter what, but it is in fact a very interesting dilemma, which is being discussed all over the world.
So this needs to be looked at in a wider perspective.
Is it a persons right to refuse the vaccine and thus potentially risking harming the health and the lives of the whole society??
I personally see very solid points for and against, and I am very much in doubt.
I’m just so so shocked one of our dumbest players happens to be an antivaxer.
Noemally in my experience what you have said, actually would Explain everything.
Let’s respect his decision, vaccinated or not you may still test positive
No fence – sitting on this. This is a killer virus and the club’s policy on this should be – no vaccine, no play, no pay.
There are nearly 200 people dying in the UK every day and we have to put up with idiots like Xhaka, he should be setting an example for the younger players.
Yeh right so stop people crossing the road as so many die on them and no more hamburgers as theres to many over weight.
People are free so its there choice.
Xhaka is a wally alright but so are a lot of others.
I agree 100% and predict this will haveto come in eventually. FAKE liberalism, which foolishly panders to selfish non vacced players whims, harms others! As such , IMO it is NOT liberal to accept a players personal choice not to be vacced but is irresponsible and, at least morally, though not YET legally, a sackable offence !
It’s his choice
Take the jab and keep others safe.