Premiership must be completed, says Larsen
The Absa Premiership must be completed when it is safe to do so, former Chippa United coach Clinton Larsen said.
Larsen is now with relegation-threatened Polokwane City and the 49-year-old said coaches and players were eager to get back to the training field and finish the season.
The league would have been completed this month before Covid-19 struck but Larsen says it does not matter if the league takes a further two months to finish, the goal can be accomplished.
“I am happy that I am just a coach and not one of the powers that be who are going to make these decisions because no matter what decision you make, you are not going to be able to keep everybody happy,” the coach said.
“So, it’s a very difficult one. “But I keep saying the players’ health comes first.
“I think that is what we are doing at the moment, making sure that everybody is safe and everybody returns, whenever that may be, healthy.
“If you want to say let’s stop the league and hand Chiefs the title, Sundowns will say they have a game in hand and will be one point behind if they win it.”
Larsen said that would be a fair argument.
At the bottom of the table there are teams that would say they still have enough games to get out of the situation so they cannot be relegated.
He said these were very difficult decisions to be made by the league.
“I think they are also getting guidance from what is happening in other leagues around the world.
“I am sure there is going be a little guidance taken in that regard.
“For me we just want to get back to the training field as soon as we possibly can.
“I think everybody wants to finish the league even if it goes into June, July I am sure we can still accomplish that.
“Hopefully, come June-July this epidemic is behind us,” Larsen said.
“Everything now lies in the hands of the government and them deciding what steps to take next.
“But for us as coaches, as players, we want to be on the training field and competing like we usually do.”