Bevan: Players should be tested before League resumes

 

Richard Bevan, League managers’ association chief executive, has requested that all players should be tested for Coronavirus before the League is resumed.

The last match played in the English Premier League was on March 9 when Leicester City thrashed, visiting Aston Villa 4-0 at the King Power Stadium.

“Tests must be made available first to NHS workers and patients. Once that’s happened, by all means, let’s access it in sport,” Richard Bevan was quoted on BBC Sport.

The English football league had stated earlier in the week that the season could be finished in just 56 days once the season is restarted, but Bevan criticized the EFL for not consulting its members before making such a statement.

The government in the United Kingdom has postponed Professional Football indefinitely because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“You’re going to have to get the support of the coaches and managers. You do not do that by not talking to them. You do not get the end-product or working together if you just send a letter out without actually taking their advice or thoughts.” Bevan stated further to BBC sports.

He revealed that players would need three weeks of training before returning to full match fitness, and such the EFL needs to get the goodwill of players.

Furthermore, He stated that health is the most important that guides principles, and as such, players’ fitness should be most paramount and anything other than that, especially making players play without ascertaining their fitness level is a big call that should be debated.

Bevan also believes that there is no assurance that football could return by April ending, and any sort of return should be well thought and planned, using the Germany situation as an example.

He disclosed that the 50,000 testing per day in Germany by the government is as a result of good planning, but UK is behind due to the 10,000 testing per day, albeit the UK government is aiming for 100,000 testing per day at the end of the April.

Hence he says that the managers do not want to return to the pitch until all players have been tested.

 

 

Written by: Daniel Ademiju Idowu