Chelsea manager Frank Lampard has admitted the concerns of Premier League players being tested ahead of key workers who are serving on the front line during the coronavirus outbreak amid the possible resumption of the English top flight.
On Friday, following a meeting of the stakeholders in the Premier League issued, the English top division issued a statement to state their desire and commitment to completing the 2019-20 campaign. The coronavirus crisis has halted football almost all over the European continent and the Premier League is tipped for a return only once it seems safe and appropriate to do so.
The Premier League has put together a plan in place to restart play most likely June 8, with games being held at neutral venues to reduce the spread of the deadly bug. The plan to resume football by next month has been outlined by the UK Government as well and has been labelled as ‘Project Restart’.
Project Restart indicates that all players must be tested for coronavirus if they should resume playing football for their respective clubs.
However, Chelsea head coach Frank Lampard explained the flaws of the coronavirus testing of footballers over NHS workers on the frontline.
While speaking to BT Sport, the 41-year-old Lampard said that the coaching staff and other members around the team must also be tested for coronavirus to ensure health and safety precautions, “The idea of the health and safety of the players is huge, The country has practised social distancing so well and the fact we play this contact sport that we are so desperate to see for a form of escapism, if anything, so how are we not going to put the players at risk within that? The other issue is talking about the testing that we are going to be doing. We probably have 70 or 80 staff at Cobham, minimum, if we are going to restart training. If we’re going to test regularly, then that’s fine.”
