Premier League return thrown in doubt after another player tests positive for coronavirus. The league has been looking at ways for a safe return.
The Premier League has long harboured hopes of a safe return to football amidst the coronavirus pandemic. Despite the continued postponement of football, the general consensus among the clubs is that the season needs to be completed if the opportunity arises.
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The Premier League has reportedly received the green signal from the government to carry out their return plans, dubbed ‘Project Restart’ as long as they prepare concrete proposals, the framework of which will include, vital testing of players and cooperation from the police and medical services to provide assistance at stadiums.
However, the planned return has yet another wall with yet another Premier League player testing positive for the deadly virus.
Premier League return thrown in doubt after another player tests positive for coronavirus
Brighton chief, Paul Barber, confirmed a third player tested positive on Saturday despite isolation measures introduced by the club.
“It is a concern,” he told Sky Sports .
“Unfortunately we’ve had a third player test positive yesterday (Saturday, May 9). So despite all of the measures that we’ve been taking over the past few weeks; where the players haven’t been involved in any significant training at all; we’ve still suffered another player testing positive for the virus.
“So, there are concerns and I think it’s normal for all clubs to have those concerns. We want to make sure we do everything that we can to ensure those protocols are in place and are safe and secure and mitigate the risk as far as we can.”
The club comes first and foremost
Barber has been very vocal in his opposition to the Premier League’s proposed return and has been refreshingly honest about his stance, stating that it is his duty to put his club first.
“I’ve heard several times in the last week people talking about the greater good and doing what’s right for the game as a whole and I accept that,” he said in an interview with Brighton’s club website .
“But I have to put a hierarchy in place: my club; the league that I represent; and the game as a whole.
“And if I can do right by my club and support the league and ultimately do right by the game as a whole, then that’s great but I have to put the interests of my club and the hundreds of staff that work for our club first.
“In our first season we were in the Premier League, we contributed over £200 million to the local economy. We’ve helped create nearly 2,000 jobs, directly and indirectly, thanks to our promotion to the Premier League.
“I can’t support something that is going to put all of that economic value, people’s livelihoods, mortgage payments, school fees, food on the table for families, at stake for voting for something that I don’t think is fair.
“I wouldn’t expect any chief executive of any club to do anything other than what I’m doing; which is defend their club’s position first and foremost.”
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