Taylor has concerns over goal reactions

EXETER City manager Matt Taylor says football needs to do more to help stop the spread of coronavirus, but claims muted goal celebrations are not the answer.

A host of footballers have been caught out breaching Covid guidelines in recent weeks and clubs have been reminded of their responsibilities in letters sent out this week by the authorities.

In it, footballers were reminded that “handshakes, high fives and hugs must be avoided” with extra scrutiny on every aspect of life under lockdown in a coronavirus pandemic.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola admitted it would be difficult saying: “We are going to do it, we are going to respect the protocols. But the moment you score a goal and one guy runs and the others don’t go to celebrate with him, it is weird and uncomfortable.”

And Taylor agrees, saying it is off the field where the problems lie and stopping goal celebrations would be difficult in the heat of the moment.

“It’s so difficult on the pitch,” he said. “I think if football is to do anything it is to look at the bigger picture, so you look at the clubs in men and women’s football that have gone over to Dubai and that’s absolutely ridiculous.

“You look at some of the inhouse celebrations in changing rooms and see the lack of social distancing and those sort of examples can’t happen.

“We have to set an example but, on the pitch, and when you are in amongst your team-mates, you can’t not celebrate. It is an emotional game and you get carried away and generally, you come into contact with opposition, or your team-mates, in certain moments of the game.

“Close contact can’t really be stopped on the pitch, it is everywhere else where football has to do more away from the actual pitch and that is by setting a better example than what we have done so far.”