Threat of Covid looms large for football
The news that many players have tested positive does not bode well at all, and now that some of the sports biggest have been exposed, there must be real concerns all around.
Mbappe and Neymar would be a loss to any tournament or team, and now they are very high profile names that the sport will miss out on for a while. That’s bad enough for their nations, clubs, fans, and don’t ever forget families, but when one infection enters the group it risks everything.
Whether it was a lone wolf or an Aberdeen type group, the work, home, sleep routine the globe is expecting footballers to adhere to is not being respected by all, leading to outbreaks.
Footballers are again showing they can’t be trusted with this responsibility, but let’s face it, they aren’t only ones, just the most visible right now.
In not cancelling thus bringing players together, those running leagues and tournaments are taking one hell of a predetermined gamble that none of the players pay a heavy price and certainly not the ultimate one. For if gathering to play football at any level can be shown to have a real danger of detrimental effect on players careers, the sport will correctly be paused.
The general assumption that athletes will be fine as they are strong and fit which comes with the territory is a very very dangerous one. All it will take to end that school of thought will be one big name player to suffer severely.
The PSG dressing room look as if they will be the first collective to test this theory out, and while I hope they all come through fine, at some stage one individual will do worse than the rest, and that’s when the game will stop and think.
But actually, it shouldn’t take someone to get sick first to halt proceedings.
Now that we see there’s no shielding even the megastars from the dangerous real world, the sport needs to consider steps.
If it won’t, the players themselves should.
No one at all should feel forced to risk themselves and their families health for our entertainment yes but essentially the TV paymasters. Just because you can kick a ball good doesn’t mean you should face anymore risk than Joe Plumber.
If the players were already feeling like guinea pigs forced into gatherings the rest of the nation aren’t allowed, this latest news will only add to the misgivings on their part.
Football is important but not that important at all at the same time.
Players are only human.
Trying to get things up and running may have felt right at the time, but the minute there’s a price to pay then please back the alternative.
At least that would help keep the beauty in the beautiful game.
The above by Mahe.
sentinelcelts@gmail.com
To the people of Portland
https://youtu.be/zYwCmcB0XMw
Interesting read mahe …thanks
Apols.
Nothing to do with the post.
This came up on my random music player.
For those that don’t know, this was before BMCUW took to coach travel…..
He was on trains eyeing up Agnethas…
Who could blame him?
https://youtu.be/1HnOFwqpLRQ
But we must never forgive him for reading the Obsever….
😆😁😁
Sorry. My weak tribute to one of the kindest, biggest Tims you’ll ever meet.
You’re some man, sir. You really are. The best. The very best 🤷♂️
This has been UberTim, reporting from a bright scottish friday, in a temporal vortex, where the weather was warm.
Ps. Watching scotland tonight was as entertaining as watching a fly do what it does before it hits the Euro issued fly strap..
See them f Europeans!@@
Feck that. I give you oor BMCUW travelling…
.😁😎
https://youtu.be/xYmcN12M97o
This is for you Garry and all the wonderful night shift geezers .
https://youtu.be/e13hirramaw
Come on. Travelling from Swindon to Glasgow?!? It’s actually an achievement 😁
Such a brilliant movie. 😁
To be clear, this is not in any way derogatory to one of the finest Tims on the internet.
It’s a tribute to his strength of character, that I’ve seen more than once. 🤷♂️
Love ye BMCUW.
Uber Tim and NFL for ever .
Good night timland
https://youtu.be/BWzMVNy0YwE
Test
I suspect football will shut down again. As much as clubs do everything to protect their players a percentage of the population aren’t giving a feck about the spread of the contagion which will lead to another full lockdown, its happening all over Europe and with household lockdown applying in Glasgow it’ll probably happen again. Without being hard on young folk they simply don’t give a fuck. I was on a bus and a young woman sat in front of me with no mask on and when I said to her she should have one on she replied that they ruin her make up and it was none of my ‘fucking business.’ An absolute moron if you could ever meet one. I wonder if the tests for fans going into stadia will now be at risk?
Good Morning all
Worrying times for us all, not just football, with the potential of a 2nd wave of Covid 19 approaching.
Bobby, this is the first half of the Chewing the Fat video that Garry referred to:
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=765309497618961&id=854614654667885&sfnsn=scwspwa&extid=6TPSe6R65FSymC99
HH
Mahe
I will be surprised and delighted if the Scotland squad return from Czech Republic without any affected by the virus.
Was astonished when I heard that last night’s game was going ahead. I noticed at the national anthem, the Czech players were all lined up metres apart, observing social distancing protocols. Found that strange.
Petec
Please pass on my Happy 20th Birthday wishes to your Wonderful Bhoy Aidan
https://g.co/kgs/37xw88
Looks like a Covid outbreak in the Greek squad has put Barkas’s involvement at risk. This was entirely predictable.
SFTB
Entirely predictable as you say. And as mentioned earlier,I really can’t see the season being completed. Btw,I was down the pub yesterday with as it turns out a Celtic cupporters convention. None of us arranged to be there as such,but about ten of us were there anyway.
Six months to the day that six of them were at the St Mirren game,the last time any of us saw the team in the flesh. None of them fancied their chances of being there again this side of a year from now.
Test
Can’t really say i would be surprised if football is shutdown for the season.
Lawwell and DD will be shitting themselves if they cannot shift Ed or Ajer before the shutdown happens leaving them in unfamiliar territory with a transfer deficit.
How anyone thought the players could be safe in a contact sport is baffling?
Or perhaps they didn’t and are just making an opportunistic cash grab like our clubs non refundable season ticket?
The UK and USA are both suffering from their governments prioritizing commerce over people’s safety.
That the capitalist’s who own football club’s did the same is not surprising.
Bit of a big Covid19 story breaking at PSG.
Football players are going to get fitba stopped.
JIMTHETIM53
Bloody hell,madmen!!!
GARRY
Neymar and a couple of others have already tested positive at PSG. No vaccine,no return to normal.
BMCUW
PSG players went clubbing in Ibiza after defeat to Bayern in CL final.
Similar to Bolingoli, and others.
I can’t see a vaccine being found soon, if ever.
Bobby, maybe you could organise a bubble football friendly. Sentinelcelts (under 60s) v CQN. I noticed in another clip teams were made up of both men and women, so ATOB & Senga would be good to go!
AFTERNOON ALL and JIM, hey garry and jim, just read your post from last night reformed school you cheeky blinders, i went to larkhall high class of 68, was head bhoy if you go there you will see my school photo signed by me, wullie wulliamson 1690 king william avenue larkhall, i look splendid in my red white and blue uniform, you 2 are just jealous🤩🤩
Sorry Packy, must be getting you mixed up with somebody else!
jealousy will get you nowhere, dont forget im older than you i know what im talking about.
OOPS forgot i want my sash back.
it fell out of my hands when I got home and straight into the fire. Oops!
JTT53
Great idea, as long as we can have 6 foot 10 An Tearman on our side as centre half.
Big Packy would add a bit of youth to the team, as he gets younger every birthday. 😜😂
thats a farthing you owe me
GARRY, im 48 next birthday .born on the 5th of february 1973 at dalmuir maternity hospital
Alan Thomson and Jackie )))
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=X_qGlg0E8f0
Just posted this on CQN, has a resonance with Mahe’s lead article…
Some interesting debate on…
– Football vs Rugby
– when do the supporters get back in
– should we expand &/or upgrade the Stadium
– what would an expanded or upgraded Stadium “look like?
Well as AN TEARMANN pointed out to me the other day, we are in a world of the new normal. So lots to consider.
Firstly I’d point out that a fast spreading pandemic is a known risk, you may say it always was, sure, that’s true. But as it hadn’t really happened for a hundred years it was easy for all but a few to ignore.
That is not the case now, and any project, construction, business plan etc etc is going to HAVE to include this.
The idea that Covid-19 is managable, such as the flu or a cold, is an appealling prospect to those not in, or without a deep attachment to people in the high risk category.
But consider this; as stated a fast spreading global pandemic IS a known risk and what if the next one is five years away rather than one hundred, at let’s face it, that’s how this earth works.
Also that the next one can’t be shrugged of like the “flu”. What if it was like a relatively recent epidemic like MERS-CoV – 35% Death rate, or even SARs 8%. Yet spreading like Covid-19. It MUST be planned for.
So instead of trying to push ahead and get supporters in to Celtic Park as quick as possible and get back to “normal”, we may want to look at what football stadiums designed in the 2020’s and future proofed will look like.
I’m old enough, as are most of us, to remember going from the terraces to all seater Stadiums. What a change that was and what a change this could be.
We may find we are vastly expanding the stadium to accommadte 30,000 spectators – a very different match day experience. Nicer environment, more comfortable chairs (more like the luxury cinema seats),
Catering and refreshment more the likes of hospitality.
In a few seasons time, your daughter may be at Celtic Park reminiscing with her son over the great atmosphere with 60,000 tightly bunched together Tims, just as you told her about the greatest ever atmosphere when we were packed in like sardines when you stood on the Jungle terracing?
Forget about Rugby vs Football – this Covid-19 may spawn the new Taylor Report, this time for all venues.
Hail Hail
WEET WEET WEET, enjoyed that,👍
WEETWEETWEET
Brilliant. Bobo’s gonna get ye!
BP
Dalmuir Maternity Hospital???
Is that in Brigadoon? 😜😂
CHAIRBHOY, good post👍
you young ghuys cant remember dalmuir maternity, it was next to yogis bar🤩🤩
BP
Ahh. The Dail Mhoire Bar.
Here is an excellent guitarist from Dalmuir.
Martin Doherty, from a family of good Tims fae Donegal. Crackin wee band.
https://g.co/kgs/N3ZDYF
Just watching the buses going along Dumbarton Road in Clydebank and packed with schoolchildren, none of whom are wearing masks or social distancing. No wonder there has been a large spike in Covid19 cases in this town since schools resumed.
I really fear the worst.
GARRY, have not come across that band before, but noticed i can get the album on spotify, very good band thanks for posting👍
Big Packy…
Cheers
Garry,
The English schools went back this week, with the R number on the rise. It’s far from slowing down.
Fan-a-tic @ 1:17 pm,
“…Or perhaps they didn’t and are just making an opportunistic cash grab like our clubs non refundable season ticket?
The UK and USA are both suffering from their governments prioritizing commerce over people’s safety.
That the capitalist’s who own football club’s did the same is not surprising.
Truth, they are looking more Kanute like – as this year goes on. I was in Morrisons yesterday, must have about twenty check outs… only one open, people are not in any rush to get back to “normal”.
The rampant Capitalist countries, may well be the ones hardest hit.
Hail Hail
garry, one for you, as you know my drum heroes were buddy rich and ian paice, when buddy died there were a lot of drummers filled in for him with his band over the years, this guy was basically like me a rock drummer but came over to jazz and swing, he was only a year or 2 older than me ,sadly he is no longer with us have a listen,,,,,,https://youtu.be/T0gYHLkY4qA
Garry
Anyone named Dochartaigh and with a family from Tír Chonaill (Donegal) is ok with me. An added bonus being i think chvrches ‘rock’.
Chvrches
Clearest blue
Chairbhoy @ 2:43
You raise some interesting points … food for thought there …
@ 3:28
“[the rampant Capitalist countries] may well be the ones hardest hit.”
1. if by capitalist, one means an “economic system in which private individuals or businesses own capital goods”, I dont know how one can call any country Capitalst these days as trade is almost always international now … and those that aren’t are considered protectionist, which is, I would think, anti-Capitalist ….
2. assuming without deciding that there are, indeed Capitallist countries, one also has to question what you mean by saying that the Countries will be the ones hardest hit … as has been discussed on here before, and of late with respect to amazon tax dodging, the companies seem to do okay … I suspect that within the capitilist countries, it will be the average worker who will bear the brunt of the hardships, as opposed to the countries per se, or the companies in the country, who will likely do okay (or in some cases, make out like bandits)
BP
Very good. 👍
Enjoyed that drumming. Thanks.
Oglach
Martin Doherty is a talented multi instrumentalist.
Wee Lauren is a babe fae Stirling.
Seen Chvrches live a few times. Excellent wee band.
Maybe, just maybe in the aftermath of the Covid pandemic the working man might awaken from his lethargy and do something about the situation they are in, gig economies, zero hour contracts, long service permanent staff being replaced by casual workers, workers rights being eroded by the day, working people having to rely on foodbanks and watch helplessly as their Health service is privatised while the 1% continue to bank £millions in personal profit each day.
Just where have the militant working class gone?
This from a supporter of UKIP Aaron Banks – even the right wing pr*cks admitting it stinks.
“A system where 1% of the population owns 50% of the wealth of the country is demonstrably failing and I don’t think that’s capitalism, I think capitalism has been replaced by something altogether more sinister.”
John Lennon
Working Class hero
Oglach
Time for a John MacLean, James Connolly or John Smith to emerge again in Scotland.
My favourite John Lennon song. 👍
Ballad of John MacLean.
https://g.co/kgs/q6UDjt