UEFA today confirmed that Scotland’s Nations League clash with the Czech Republic WILL go ahead on Monday as planned. Their spokesperson insisted the match is to be played despite that strange statement last night from the Czech FA last night saying they had sent their players home due to coronavirus concerns.
UEFA today we clear that the game is ON: “The match is going ahead as scheduled.”
Last night the Czech FA statement clearly stated that they would NOT play:
“Although the Czech national team defeated Slovakia 3-1 on Friday, the second match in Olomouc against Scotland will not take place in September. The international break is over, the squad has been disbanded. The reason is a conflict between the assigned medical professional and the head of the Czech FA. There is great concern that the virus could spread further. The match with Scotland will not take place on Monday.”
Steve Clarke will be desperate to discover for certain whether the game is on or off. It’s a rather strange situation and it has to be said a rather pointless competition.
The news that Scotland’s Monday night game with the Czech Republic may be off (or is it back on?) comes as a welcome reprieve for anyone who, out of a sense of patriotism, tuned in for last night’s dull 1-1 draw with Israel at Hampden, and was considering invoking that sense of national pride again on Monday evening.
In truth Scotland were likely to be horsed by the Czech Republic, secondly there is now a chance our Czech opponents will have to forfeit rather than postpone the game and thirdly this lunacy of playing Nations League football that is to all intents and purposes slapping lipstick on the pig of what used to be friendly games has been laid bare.
I do get the World wants to get back to ‘normal’ and I’m sure the pressure on UEFA to supply events for TV and sponsors is huge. I’m also aware with the Euros looming large that all the available routes to supply the qualifying teams probably need to be navigated and concluded, but there’s a lunacy to all of this. And no, I don’t mean that Nations league per se, although there is merit in questioning how we’re now on a Version II of this tournament and still no-one fully understands the ins and outs of it all.
No, I’m more concerned by the travelling aspect. And in particular the threat to the Celtic players involved and the subsequent impact on our Ten-in-a-Row campaign.
Football clubs throughout Europe are working in varying versions of bubbles and if the domestic leagues are to continue then the avoidance of unnecessary exposure to those outside those bubbles is surely essential, if we’re hoping to conclude domestic programmes. I’ve heard it would be easier to nick bullion from Fort Knox than it is to access the inner sanctum of Celtic Park these days. If that’s true Celtic should be commended for what they’ve achieved. So why is the governing body in Europe risking it all?
At least with the European qualification for club sides the Celtic players travel in their own bubble, they have strict guidance to follow and it’s the same group of players and staff adhering to all the guidelines – as long as Boli stays at home bingeing on past episodes of Come Fly with Me.
Most ties were also moved to one off matches rather than the traditional two-legged format to limit travel. Yet with International football the Scotland squad alone sees the coming together of 18 of those bubbles as the players all join from their respective club teams, that’s not including all the coaching staff and support network.
We then entertain a country like Israel into the mix who probably have a similar number merging to form their own squad and have travelled to Scotland from halfway round the globe. Then assuming we’ve been lucky enough to navigate it safely we send everyone on a plane where passengers and crew breathe a mixture of fresh and recirculated air and head to the Czech Republic for a second game three days later, this time in a foreign country where by the grace of God we may just have avoided landing in the middle of their own Covid19 outbreak.
Had we landed there many clubs could have been affected but my primary concern is Celtic and having our best players available for a momentous season. It will be hard enough to conclude this season without unnecessary exposure to risk elsewhere.
Maybe I’m being far too precious, perhaps it’s far safer than it looks from the outside looking in, but at the moment I wouldn’t risk my family on an aeroplane of any description, flying to any destination due to a mind numbing series of imponderables and I’d prefer Celtic players were limited to from exposure to unnecessary risk, and I’d suggest a series of dressed up friendly games under the guise of the Nation’s League falls into the category of both risk and being unnecessary.
Is it really essential to play this tournament so soon into a season where even at a domestic level everyone is still getting to grips with it all? Is this not a tournament that could have been shelved until we were all a bit more ready for this?
And while we’re at it perhaps those Champions League and Europa League tournaments need to also be shelved for a season. I know it’s started but we’re not so deep we couldn’t pull it all back for a while. Anyone considered lobbying for Null and Void? Just a thought, there’s no ulterior motive I assure you. No really!
Where’s Scot Gardiner when you need him?
Niall J
