Clubs and fans are in limbo with no news on next game
MORECAMBE, BOLTON ARE VOCAL ON VACCINATION
A SECOND successive postponement and another waiting game to see if there will be any more leaves Burton Albion – and their supporters – somewhat in limbo going into Christmas.
There is a deal of difference between how much clubs are saying about their situations with regard to Covid-19.
In announcing the postponement of the Boxing Day game, the Brewers and Sheffield Wednesday went for the briefest of information, although Burton chairman Ben Robinson had previously given an interview to the Press Association in which he stated that all of the club’s non-playing staff had tested negative for the virus.
Understandably, the chairman was keen to assure people that functions aside from football were still going ahead at the Pirelli Stadium.
But how many players and or coaches on the football side are affected? Albion have not said.
It is a fact that more people will be affected than the number who have actually contracted the virus and that raises another unknown.
Some of those who cannot play will not have tested positive but will have been around those who have and will therefore need to isolate – especially if they are among the reported 25% of EFL players who apparently do not want to be vaccinated.
At a guess – and it is only a guess – that situation will be a source of frustration for club managers who may have had enough players available for a game had they had a full complement of vaccinated players in their squad.
Then again, some managers may be quietly welcoming missing Boxing Day if it meant that general injuries had more time to clear up or that it nudged them closer to the transfer window without losing further points.
It is not a situation that Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has, as yet, talked about.
Some other managers have been more vocal.
It was interesting to read the stance of Morecambe’s nononsense manager Stephen Robinson. He appears to have had no problem persuading his squad that vaccinations are a good idea.
The club shared news of players receiving booster jabs on Tuesday and Robinson said 100% of his squad had had two jabs, with 80% having had a booster. That clearly puts Morecambe well above the reported EFL average.
“It’s really, really good, first and foremost, for everybody’s health, protecting everybody, and secondly for the logistics of the football side of things, where we change and where we eat together,” said Robinson.
“I’m delighted to see that uptake and, hopefully, everybody can stay safe and healthy.
“You can’t force anybody to have the vaccine, it’s everyone’s personal choice, but it’s certainly something I would advocate.
“We believe in the medical side of things and we believe the advice we’re being given is to keep us all safe and also to try and keep football going.
“We know how much it hurt last year when we stopped, so the more people that’ve got vaccinated, the more chance we have of that.”
Morecambe’s Boxing Day game against Bolton Wanderers is off but that is down to Covid cases in the Bolton camp.
Bolton are Burton’s next scheduled opponents, at the Pirelli Stadium on Wednesday, and their manager, Ian Evatt, is already concerned about that because he may only have players returning from isolation to train on Monday.
Bolton have said they have 14 players and four staff – Evatt included – affected.
Evatt says that the situation has changed the minds of some players who were previously reluctant to get vaccinated.
“We have been vocal since day one about it but, obviously, it’s a personal choice,” said Evatt.
“I’ll use Morecambe as a prime example – I think their whole squad is double vaccinated and they haven’t had one case. Is that a coincidence? Possibly.
“But as I’ve said before, we’ve got people who are double vaccinated – in my situation double vaccinated and boosted – who have still got it, so it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re safe from it, it just might limit the symptoms.
“In terms of vaccine uptake, I’d want it to be better initially of course.
“I think what has happened, especially in the last few months, whether it’s come from a family member or it’s them having the illness, there has been a change and shift in dynamic in terms of players wanting the vaccine now.
“The problem with that is that it takes time between vaccines, so we’re kind of racing against the clock.”
Losing the Boxing Day game will not have impacted financially on Burton as much as it would have done had the game been at home.
The home game against Bolton is different. Wanderers potentially have a good-sized away following and it is an attractive fixture. Nor do Crewe Alexandra fans have too far to come for the Saturday New Year’s Day game that is scheduled to follow the Bolton match.
They are two games the Brewers would clearly like on. They may not have a choice but that remains to be seen.
CAMBRIDGE United yesterday became the first League One club to call off a post-boxing Day match when they announced that their home game against Doncaster Rovers on Wednesday, January 30, would be postponed.
We believe the advice we’re being given is to keep us safe and to try to keep football going. Steven Robinson, Morecambe boss