Covid cases put game in the balance
IAN Burchnall has revealed there are positive Covid cases within Notts County’s squad but says the club will do all they can to ensure Sunday’s National League game at home to Wrexham (3pm) goes ahead.
The Magpies’ head coach has not specified how many players have the illness, news of which comes only days after their Boxing Day game away to King’s Lynn was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.
The number of cases left Notts with a small group training on Wednesday and the club taking steps to ensure they are given the best protection possible in the coming days.
Burchnall says it is a “big concern”, with Notts also having injuries to contend with but he is adamant that he wants the much-anticipated clash against Phil Parkinson’s thirdplaced side side to go ahead.
Wrexham sit four points ahead of the Magpies, having played two games more.
“Sadly, this week, we have some cases within the playing squad,” said Burchnall.
“We are very thin right now. I would say that we’re right on the edge with how many players we’ve now got available, so that’s really disappointing.
“But we are endeavouring to do everything that we possibly can to make sure that the game is on. If we have the players available, then we want to play the game.
“I’m not somebody who wants to use this as an excuse but we have cases within the playing squad and staff.
“That’s a big concern. We know what a big game it is but with the smaller group that we’ve got, we were trying to be extremely careful now to make sure that we don’t get any more cases and that we have as many players as we can available for the weekend.
“But it was a small group training on Wednesday.”
The National League are understood to have followed EFL protocols, which state that if clubs have a squad of 14 players, including a goalkeeper, available then games should go ahead.
With Covid, injuries and a suspension for attacker Ruben Rodrigues, it is understood that Notts could ask for the game to be postponed now.
But Burchnall wants to see how the rest of the week unfolds before a decision is taken and says he wants to respect the integrity of the league despite the problems the club are facing.
“Based on what we’ve got now, we could call the game off,” he said.
“But I feel quite strongly that if we have players available, that we should try to play the game for the integrity of the league.
“I don’t know if that’s always going to be the case across the board but certainly from my perspective, we as a coaching staff and as a football club, I want to do everything that we can.
“Of course, if we have some more cases before the weekend – and we’re testing every day – we are going to be in big trouble and we are not going to be able to play.
“But in this present moment, I want to do everything that we can to try to play this game.
“I believe we’ve got a strong squad so if we lose some players, OK, we’re going to have to deal with that.
“I still believe we can go out and get a result. That’s what we’re working towards. I really want to play the game but we’re going to see what the rest of the week brings.”