Football

David Moyes opens up on coronavirus fears after contact with Mikel Arteta


David Moyes has opened up on his coronavirus fears after Mikel Arteta tested positive for the deadly condition a month ago.

Moyes’ West Ham side had played Arsenal just days earlier in the Premier League.

Top flight football was shut down after Arteta and a string of players at other clubs fell ill.

“When it all kicked off we’d been with Mikel on the Saturday,” said Moyes. “We’d been into his office for a quick drink after the game.

“The night (he fell ill) I phoned Steve Round who was my old assistant manager at Everton and Man United and is now working with Mikel.

Moyes admitted he was concerned about the virus after meeting Arteta
Moyes admitted he was concerned about the virus after meeting Arteta

“He said that none of the staff at Arsenal and none of the players that he’d been in contact with regularly had shown any of the symptoms.

“So I said to myself, ‘I’ve only been with Mikel for 15 minutes. I don’t think there is any need to be in lockdown and isolating’.

“But obviously by the rules and by what the doctor said I went away and got myself away. But probably at the time football went into lockdown completely.”

Football remains under lockdown until at least May as the game continues to follow government guidelines.

Moyes maintains it cannot return if there is even the slightest risk to players or staff.

“We’re hoping possibly we might get back to games in the first or second week of June,” he said. “If that all happens that’s fine. But ultimately it can’t put anybody’s life at risk.

“Would a physio want to massage a player? Would you get tested before a game? Well what about after a game and you go back to your family? Are you going to be tested after the game?

“I think until we have the testing, which we need for the people in hospital – we certainly need it for the nurses and the doctors – I’m finding it really difficult to see where the conclusion is and how we can start.

Read More

Coronavirus in sport

“Obviously there might be situations where players might refuse to play as well. They might not feel safe. There’s lots of different aspects of it.

“Broadcasters coming into stadiums to film the games would all need to be tested. There’s an awful lot of different parts to it. The deeper and deeper you look, the harder you feel it is to get it up running again.

“I don’t know the exact cut-off point. That’s for the people who make the decisions. But I think we’ve got to be careful. My choice would be I wouldn’t want next year to be affected.”





READ SOURCE

Leave a Reply

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you accept our use of cookies.