Rapids’ Shinyashiki: “People are nervous”
Andre Shinyashiki is excited to play soccer again, but he can’t ignore what he’s been hearing out of Orlando.
As the Rapids get set to depart for the MLS is Back Tournament amid skyrocketing COVID-19 cases in central Florida, the 2019 MLS Rookie of the Year says there is growing unease throughout the league.
“I’ve spoken to a lot of guys that are already in Orlando and it’s getting mixed reviews,” Shinyashiki said. “I would be lying if I told you that everybody’s saying they feel safe. There are definitely problems right now with the situation and hopefully they’re fixed by the time the tournament starts.”
Colorado is expected to leave Sunday to join most of the league’s clubs already inside the MLS bubble at Walt Disney World Resort.
The competition is slated to kick off July 12 for Colorado, yet there are concerns the tournament may not even happen after coronavirus cases cropped up in and around the bubble.
FC Dallas already had nine players test positive for the virus after they arrived. Other teams have had problems leaving their markets or have postponed flights due to positive tests. Even the Rapids have had two players test positive for COVID-19 — each of whom need two negative tests in Denver before they can head to Orlando to quarantine and rejoin the club.
“I think people are nervous,” Shinyashiki said. “I don’t think this is the ideal scenario by any means, but given the circumstances I think it’s something that we’re going to have to do.”
The Rapids have been training in some capacity for over a month. They started with individual workouts, followed by small side training and now full team practices. The only stoppage came when the club shut down their facility after two players tested positive for COVID-19 last week. Shinyashiki said he felt safe and applauded the club for following protocols, but he’s unsure of how he will feel once in Florida.
“The health and safety of our players is of the utmost importance to us and I think that’s a message that’s been echoed from the very top of the organization,” Rapids general manager Pádraig Smith told The Post. “We’ve worked very hard with the players to make sure that we create and sustain an environment in which they are healthy and safe.”
The prize for winning the competition will be a spot in the 2021 CONCACAF Champions League and over $1 million. If they make it to the final, the Rapids could spend nearly six weeks in the Orlando bubble. MLS plans to continue its regular season following the conclusion of the tournament.
“I have a lot of empathy for the guys on the team that have families, they’re going to have to leave their families behind,” Shinyashiki said. “Maybe some guys don’t speak the language, maybe they have a kid that’s newborn or things like that, so I feel nervous for them, not necessarily for me because I’m young and healthy.
“I’m not leaving anybody behind here in Denver. It’s more about the nervousness of actually getting the virus and how I’m gonna feel. But at the end of the day, there’s not another option.”