WARBURTON IS FEARING MORE LOCKDOWN HELL

MARK WARBURTON fears that football is facing the prospect of another lockdown to rid itself of the scourge of coronavirus.

The QPR manager is relieved to have football back after the 13- week break earlier this year.

But he reckons the game, like society, is still struggling to get the virus under control with outbreaks in teams all over Europe. Yesterday, because of an outbreak, National League side Notts County pulled out of the FA Cup while Accrington Stanley were forced to cancel their League One match today with Bristol Rovers.

In Italy, Juventus’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Weston Mckennie tested positive and there have been further problems at clubs as widespread as Bayern Munich, AZ Alkmaar, Genoa, Reggiana, Kilmarnock, St Mirren and Barnet.

Warburton, whose Championship side take on Birmingham today, said: “I don’t want to sound like a prophet of doom but if you are sensible and look at the news and read the rolling averages, then it looks like a lockdown.

“I would not be surprised if football didn’t face a three to four- week total shutdown to try and get rid of this awful situation.

“Then we may have to play three or four games a week through to May or even extend the season.

“I was speaking to people at Preston the other night and they are genuinely worried. This football is a very different product from the one that we all know and love, it’s like being in a library.

“It’s really hard. Players at the highest level are finding it a real struggle to adapt.”