The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Rooney feels players treated as ‘guinea pigs’
Former England captain unhappy at lack of leadership
Wayne Rooney has criticised the government and the football authorities for treating players as “guinea pigs” in their confused message over the coronavirus outbreak.
And the former England captain, now at Derby, says he would “never forgive” them if his family fell ill as a result.
Writing in The Times, Rooney also proposed a radical schedule shake-up which could see the current season being concluded as late as September, and the next two kicking off in wintertime as a result.
The government last Thursday gave the all clear for sporting events to continue but Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta’s admission that he had tested positive led to the Premier League announcing on Friday all games would be suspended until April 4.
Rooney wrote in his column: “Why did we wait until Friday? Why did it take Mikel Arteta to get ill for the game in England to do the right thing?
“For players, staff and their families it has been a worrying week – one in which you felt a lack of leadership from the government and from the FA and Premier League.
“After the emergency meeting, at last the right decision was made. Until then it almost felt like footballers in England were being treated like guinea pigs.
“I know how I feel. If any of my family get infected through me because I’ve had to play when it’s not safe, and they get seriously ill, I’d have to think hard about ever playing again. I would never forgive the authorities.”
Ahead of a reported blanket ban on big public gatherings next week, football’s message continues to be confused, with many matches at nonleague level going ahead as scheduled in England at the weekend.
● Paul Pogba has pledged financial support to help fight the coronavirus pandemic.
The Manchester United midfielder has set up a fundraising page on Facebook and said he will double the amount raised if the target of £27,000 is reached.
● Former Manchester City defender Eliaquim Mangala has revealed he is one of five first-team staff to have tested positive for coronavirus at Valencia.
Mangala said he is feeling good and is self-isolating at home, but wrote on Twitter: “I learned that we can carry the virus without having symptoms, that’s why I recommend everyone to follow the confinement measures and avoid contact with other people, as much as possible, even if you feel well.”
The president of Switzerland’s Football Association has also tested positive. The federation said 70-yearold Dominique Blanc, who attended Uefa’s annual meeting in Amsterdam on March 3, is self-isolating at home.