PLAYERS URGED TO TRAVEL IN OWN CARS OVER COVID FEARS

FOOTBALLERS have been told to turn up to matches in their own cars as part of plans to tackle the Omicron crisis. The EFL are advising players to drive to games and the Premier League, who recorded 72 new positive cases last week, could follow suit amid concerns that coaches can be a breeding ground for the rapidly-spreading Covid variant. Clubs outside the top flight have been urged to tell their players to use their own cars where possible, with medical advisers saying that anything longer than 15 minutes on the coach could rapidly increase risk of infection. Some have already taken the advice on board. Championship side Huddersfield Town arrived at Burnley in a convoy of cars ahead of Saturday’s FA Cup victory and did the same for the trip to Blackburn Rovers earlier this month. When journeys are about an hour or less, taking individual vehicles is seen as a workable and sensible option. It is understood that Premier League clubs who fly to matches may soon carry out tests before players embark for the trip home amid concerns that planes also act as spreader hot spots. Premier League clubs travelling to away matches have been using two coaches to allow for distancing throughout the pandemic and continue to do so. Last month, it emerged that EFL clubs were being told to group players on team coaches dependent on their Covid status as part of an attempt to stop Omicron wreaking havoc with the fixture calendar, with separate areas for those boosted, double or single vaccinated and unjabbed. Car sharing is forbidden, and regular stops to allow players to get off the coach for some fresh air have been advised.