Premier League stars refuse to return to training
According to The Daily Mail, some Premier League players have told their clubs that they don't want to return to training until the situation improves.
The Premier League finds itself facing more obstacles as clubs prepares the return to work. If yesterday it was the clubs in the lower part of the table who voiced their opposition at the plan to play the remainder of this season's game at neutral grounds, today, some of the league's big name players have told their respective clubs that they are considering returning to training until the situation has returned to normal, The Daily Mail reports.
According to Sportsmail, a sizeable number of top players will be telling their respective clubs directly by video conference between today and tomorrow that they will not report for training on Monday. Clubs will be holding video conferences with all squad members over the next 48 hours to inform them of the new health and safety guidelines.
Covid-19 infection rate still high in the UK
The Mail claims that many of the players have already contacted their managers to let them know of their stance. Premier League clubs are expected to return to the training ground on Monday 18 May, with sessions involving small groups rather than the whole squad. However, players including Sergio Agüero and Danny Rose have publicly expressed their concern about returning to work when the number of Covid-19 infections and deaths related to the virus are still high.
The main problem is that the players have the feeling that they have been excluded in the negotiation process for competition to return and that they are being used as political pawns, in a manoeuvre whose main function is to appease the masses. Those sentiments, along with fears that their careers could be over if they contract the virus, have only added to their reluctance to take part when football returns.
For the time being, players have been guaranteed the strictest health and safety controls, with two weekly coronavirus tests for players and coaching staff but no one knows what plan of action would be taken if a club were to suffer large-scale infection within the squad and how that might affect how the league is concluded.