SKY SPORTS: " MENDEZ-LAING '

SKY SPORTS:

Mendez-Laing's concerns over training

Thursday 14th April 2020

Cardiff City Nathaniel Mendez-Laing explains why there are a number of reasons including being from a BAME background which could make returning to training dangerous for him and his family.


MENDEZ-LAING:

"With this virus, yes it concerns me because I suffer from asma and my girlfriend is 8 months pregnant, so I have told the coaches at Cardiff and the gaffer my concerns."

"I also come from a Bame background and thats a big concern for me to start playing with the virus still out there."

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excuse my ignorance but what is a bame?

excuse my ignorance but what is a bame?

Black, Asian, and minority ethnic.

In this instance I do have a lot of sympathy for NML. He is in a higher risk than the average guy anyway but with the added worry of his pregnant girlfriend he is, understandably, very concerned.

excuse my ignorance but what is a bame?

Black, Asian, and minority ethnic.

In this instance I do have a lot of sympathy for NML. He is in a higher risk than the average guy anyway but with the added worry of his pregnant girlfriend he is, understandably, very concerned.

This will be a major concern for all clubs.

Also they can still get their high wages and not play, so in their minds why would they risk their lives or their families.

Sports stars in Wales await guidance on when they can resume training

Thursday 14th May 2020


Wales


Elite sport training return is 'overdue' - Dai Greene



Sports stars in Wales are yet to be told they can return to training, with new guidance referring only to England.

Guidelines published by the UK government outlined protocols for a phased return of top level sport.

But the Welsh Government is yet to say how elite sport will return in Wales.

"Discussions are taking place with Sport Wales and the Welsh Sports Association to explore how sports can resume safely," said a Welsh Government spokesperson.

"These decisions will be taken on the basis of the latest scientific and public health advice, and will be considered as part of the First Minister's (Mark Drakeford) road map."

Elite Welsh athletes and para-athletes will be keen for a definitive answer on a return to training with their counterparts in England now able to resume some activity, providing it meets social distancing criteria under "carefully controlled medical conditions".

While all sports are awaiting guidance, the matter is particularly pressing for football given the potential of games returning next month behind closed doors.

While the League One and League Two seasons are expected to be scrapped, discussions continue about finishing the Championship campaign.

EFL: Championship clubs aim for 25 May training date


WRU chairman Davies sets out autumn plans


Cardiff City and Swansea City have sought clarity from the Welsh government over what activity is permitted at their training grounds under Welsh regulations.

The EFL have now had to enter discussions with the Welsh Government about Welsh clubs and their ability to return to training at the same time as league rivals.

The EFL has provided clubs with its own protocols ahead of a proposed 25 May return to training.

That followed the guidance for England - drafted by UK Sport - that Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Oliver Dowden described as "an important milestone towards restarting competitive sport behind closed doors".

The guidance for step one of a return to training is based on participants remaining two metres apart, deep cleansing of facilities, physical and mental health checks and medical screening procedures.

It is not clear yet whether Wales will officially adopt the same guidelines.

The question of the Welsh football clubs was raised at a Welsh government committee meeting on Tuesday, with Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism Lord Dafydd Elis Thomas, saying: "It's a very good example of how we need to work across the nations of the UK so we understand the effects of the decisions being taken by each country in turn."


Chairman Gareth Davies says the WRU are "engaging" with the Welsh government over rugby's return.



With rugby also waiting to see how it could plan a way back, Welsh Rugby Union chairman Gareth Davies said: "In an ideal world there'd be one set of guidelines, but I think we'd probably move towards that and there'd be some convergence from the respective administrations.

"As things stand, we follow Welsh Government advice, as health is a devolved function, we are engaging with the Welsh government and we have all along, whether that's health or financial assistance for the game.

"Through our Covid-19 working group, which has been set up to look at both the performance and the community side of our game, we are creating a set of guidelines, based on, linked to and moving alongside government guidelines.

"Our guidelines will cover all aspects of prospective return to play from safety and hygiene to player practice, supporter integration and clubhouse management."

Details of a return for both elite and grassroots sport in Wales are expected to be included in a coronavirus exit plan, which Mr Drakeford hopes will be published on Friday.

Recreational sport and the differences in restrictions between the governments in Westminster and Cardiff did come into the spotlight this week, with the opening of golf courses among the headlines.

The Welsh Government has held discussions with sporting bodies during the pandemic and has made £8m available for a sport resilience fund, led by Sport Wales, to "support clubs and partner networks which play such a vital role in ensuring the nation is able to remain active and enjoy all the health and wellbeing benefits that sport brings".

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Bundesliga restart blow after entire Dynamo Dresden team quarantined

Two-week isolation means Dresden cannot play next week


Two players from Bundesliga 2 side test positive for Covid-19


Thursday 14th May 2020


Reuters



Germany’s plans to restart competitive football next Saturday suffered an early setback after the entire Dynamo Dresden team were placed in a two-week quarantine following two positive coronavirus tests among the players.

The Bundesliga 2 club announced on their website that tests taken on Friday had revealed two new positive cases and local health authorities had ordered the team into quarantine. Dresden were scheduled to play Hannover 96 next Sunday in their first game back following the stoppage caused by the coronavirus outbreak.


Bundesliga puts its reputation on the line with return in mid-May
Read more
“After an intensive analysis of the situation, the health authority in Dresden … decided on Saturday that the entire second division squad, including the coaching and support team, must now go into a 14-day quarantine at home,” the club said. “Due to the quarantine measures, [we] will not be able to travel to Lower Saxony for the away game on matchday 26 as planned.”

Dynamo’s sporting director, Ralf Minge, said: “In the past few weeks, we have made enormous efforts in terms of personnel and logistics in order to strictly implement all the prescribed medical and hygienic measures. We are in contact with the responsible health authority and the DFL [German Football League] to coordinate all further steps. The fact is that we can neither train nor participate in the game in the next 14 days.”

The Bundesliga announced this week that it would restart on 16 May after the government gave its approval. The league has drawn up a detailed set of regulations and guidelines for training and matches to reduce the risk of transmitting the virus, including stringent testing. However, the question of how to respond to positive tests is out of the hands of the league as German law states any response to cases is a matter for the local health authority.

The league has been on hold since mid-March because of the coronavirus outbreak which has brought football to a standstill around the world and Germany’s progress is being closely watched by other leagues.

On Monday, the DFL said it had registered 10 positive cases in a blanket test of 1,724 players and staff at its 36 first and second division clubs.

The players should have a opt out option.
Especially given Mendez circumstances.

Give them the option to furlough like every other occupation then it is down to the player what they do

I have complete sympathy for NMl here and footballers in general - in this instance the Govt is using them with no regard for safety.

They say people can return to work if their job can’t be done at home but social distancing is a MUST and if social distancing isn’t possible PPE MUST be provided - a football pitch is a place of work and clearly neither social distancing or PPE are practical or possible.

If I was a footballer, I would absolutely be asking why a mandated set of govt guidelines doesn’t apply to them and refuse to play until answers were given.

Equally, the govt have pushed liability for making sure working places are safe onto companies (and schools) - does that mean as their employer the clubs are liable if something tragic happens.

Increasingly I just don’t see anyway that football can re-start until we have stronger measures in place to deal with this crisis.

It just shows if superfit young athletes are scared to go back to work we really have a problem!

I have complete sympathy for NMl here and footballers in general - in this instance the Govt is using them with no regard for safety.

They say people can return to work if their job can’t be done at home but social distancing is a MUST and if social distancing isn’t possible PPE MUST be provided - a football pitch is a place of work and clearly neither social distancing or PPE are practical or possible.

If I was a footballer, I would absolutely be asking why a mandated set of govt guidelines doesn’t apply to them and refuse to play until answers were given.

Equally, the govt have pushed liability for making sure working places are safe onto companies (and schools) - does that mean as their employer the clubs are liable if something tragic happens.

Increasingly I just don’t see anyway that football can re-start until we have stronger measures in place to deal with this crisis.

They'll make it safe, every player will be tested multiple times, he will have a good idea that no one he plays against has the virus.

If you go to work in Tesco's you'll have no idea who has it, and you might come close to 300 people a day and have 5,000 wondering around your shop.

If a nurse can work directly with Covid-19 patients safely on £30k a year, then footballers can play football against fit , healthy and pampered colleagues for £30k a week in far safer working conditions.

excuse my ignorance but what is a bame?

Black, Asian, and minority ethnic.

In this instance I do have a lot of sympathy for NML. He is in a higher risk than the average guy anyway but with the added worry of his pregnant girlfriend he is, understandably, very concerned.

Totally agree. Imagine a BAME player with an underlying condition catching COVID-19 becoming seriously ill or maybe even dying? There would be outrage and the football authorities would have the book thrown at them.

If a nurse can work directly with Covid-19 patients safely on £30k a year, then footballers can play football against fit , healthy and pampered colleagues for £30k a week in far safer working conditions.

Well I suppose players could play games wearing heavy gowns, latex gloves, face googles and have hand sanitiser breaks

Cardiff City star Nathaniel Mendez-Laing's fears for pregnant partner and own health amid underlying conditions ahead of football return

The Bluebirds winger has not played since December 29, but has some major concerns about returning to action amid the coronavirus pandemic

By Glen Williams

Thursday 14th May 2020


Cardiff City star Nathaniel Mendez-Laing admits he has concerns for his pregnant partner and his own health when football is given the green light to return.

The Bluebirds winger has been sidelined since December 29 with a hamstring injury and it was thought his campaign was over before football was put on hold owing to the outbreak of coronavirus.

But it is likely he will now play at least some part in the Bluebirds' end-of-season run-in, if the Championship does in fact return, with the player having had time to rehabilitate from his injury.




Fears linger for Mendez-Laing, however, over returning to action.

The Office for National Statistics has stated that black men and women are twice as likely to die with coronavirus as white people. And given that Mendez-Laing is part of the BAME group, that weighs heavily on his mind.

Another big concern is his pregnant partner, who is eight weeks away from giving birth.

To compound the above, he also has asthma, a lung condition which can cause breathing difficulties.

So, understandably, the Bluebirds star, 28, is seeking the utmost clarity and the best advice before heading back to work.

"It weighs on my mind a little bit on my mind," he said of his BAME background to Sky Sports. "But on top of that I have asthma as well - that's on the list - and my partner is eight weeks away from giving birth.

"So it's a tough one for myself, which I have spoken closely to the physio about, because if going back to work and being around people is not a completely safe environment, then coming back to my partner being pregnant is quite dangerous.

"As much as anybody involved in football would love to be back out there, and we'd all like football to be back, but at the same time I keep seeing we need it back, but everyone's health is most important going.

"It's plain and simple; if it's safe to go back we continue, if not then so be it - it's not safe enough. But health should come first. I'm sure every clubs have their own way of getting around these things and I'm sure they wouldn't be back if it wouldn't be safe."





This year has been a frustrating one for the Bluebirds winger.

He ended the Premier League campaign on a high, this week was the one-year anniversary of his brace against Manchester United at Old Trafford, after all.

And many expected him to kick on and dominate in English football's second tier, but he struggled for consistency before his injury curtailed his campaign.

But that performance against United still sits firmly in the front of his head and has given him the confidence to know he can play at the highest level.

That, of course, is the aim for the winger, as it is for the entire Bluebirds squad, who sit just two points outside of the top six.

But Mendez-Laing makes it clear that one day he will be back in English football's top flight, whether that be in a City shirt or not.

"Everyone looks in good shape, but when it comes to football we could be a bit rusty," he added.

"When we get in we should be good enough to be sharp and push for that play-off spot.

"Those goals against United are something you don't forget. You want to play at the top for as long as you can. I want to be back there with Cardiff. If that's not the case and it's somewhere else, then so be it.

"I have dreams and ambitions that I want to be at the top and I will do what it takes to get there."

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If a nurse can work directly with Covid-19 patients safely on £30k a year, then footballers can play football against fit , healthy and pampered colleagues for £30k a week in far safer working conditions.

Salary doesn’t come into this.

A nurse or doctor has to work - they are part of the solution and a hugely valuable one.

Football doesn’t have to resume and footballers shouldn’t have to put their health at risk anymore than Joe Public does - especially if it directly contradicts the Govt advice on workplace safety, potentially putting more pressure and danger on those nurses and doctors.

The players should have a opt out option.
Especially given Mendez circumstances.

Give them the option to furlough like every other occupation then it is down to the player what they do

Agree - it's an option and he is not on his own - Danny Rose : Sterling : Aguro to name a few of late have the same concerns .

Government confirm Premier League CAN return in June as long as the safety of players, coaches and staff is guaranteed - with plans in place to 'widen access to live coverage' and some games to be shown for FREE


Government has opened the door for the Premier League to resume in June

Minister Oliver Dowden confirmed agreement if safety can be guaranteed

He also outlined it is up to football bodies to finalise plans for football's return

There may also be moves to make some games free to air to widen access

If a nurse can work directly with Covid-19 patients safely on £30k a year, then footballers can play football against fit , healthy and pampered colleagues for £30k a week in far safer working conditions.

What a pile of shite!
What’s money got to do with the health and possible death of someone vulnerable with asthma?

KEN CHOO: “ CARDIFF CITY ARE READY “
Link
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=214772

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If a nurse can work directly with Covid-19 patients safely on £30k a year, then footballers can play football against fit , healthy and pampered colleagues for £30k a week in far safer working conditions.

What a pile of shite!
What’s money got to do with the health and possible death of someone vulnerable with asthma?

money has quite a bit to do with it. NML is in a financial situation where he can pick and choose. millions who have not been furloughed don't have that financial security..

If a nurse can work directly with Covid-19 patients safely on £30k a year, then footballers can play football against fit , healthy and pampered colleagues for £30k a week in far safer working conditions.

Well I suppose players could play games wearing heavy gowns, latex gloves, face googles and have hand sanitiser breaks

Nurses are working with people that definitely have the virus, they need PPE, why would a player need it, playing in probably the safest environment in the UK where everyone will be tested many times before given permission to play need PPE?

60-year-old diabetic bus drivers have to go to work with the knowledge that if they get it they would have a far greater chance of dying!

If a nurse can work directly with Covid-19 patients safely on £30k a year, then footballers can play football against fit , healthy and pampered colleagues for £30k a week in far safer working conditions.

What a pile of shite!
What’s money got to do with the health and possible death of someone vulnerable with asthma?

Yeah, but he only suffers from asma.......whoever she is!

Mendez laing doesn't get considered for the games until he feels he can play and other players who feel the same too. I imagine there maybe 3 or 4 players in each club that wont want to play. This will give youngsters a chance and other squad players.
Just class the players as injured and unavailable

There is an overlap here with people being very happy on furlough, a mortgage and credit card holiday and no appetite to return to work.

Its all well and good to say health more important than money, and it is. But at some point the money will run out. Micro and macro. Individuals and Governments. People's attitude to risk will be effected by their own financial situation. Sensible precautions and an accepting of risk is the only way forward.

Co workers will soon decide if colleagues are taking it too far in their caution and footballers will be no different. NML appears to have a number of individual concerns but some other reasons I've heard people come up with are simply not reasonable.

Of course he will have concerns, irrespective of money who wouldnt have concerns if you were him.

We do need to be realistic that this virus will be with us for quite some time yet. Is it feasible for us all to stay in waiting for a vaccine which may never come or in good circumstances be months away.

I'm not for a second saying we should just say sod it I'm off to the pub. Just bringing attention to the reality of the situation.

We cant collapse the entire economy. for all the desire to give nurses a pay rise we cant if there is no money coming in from taxation. Supermarkets cant pay for everyone.

The players should have a opt out option.
Especially given Mendez circumstances.

Give them the option to furlough like every other occupation then it is down to the player what they do

Totally agree. Makes perfect sense. I totally understand why someone with Asthma may not want to play

We do need to be realistic that this virus will be with us for quite some time yet. Is it feasible for us all to stay in waiting for a vaccine which may never come or in good circumstances be months away.

I'm not for a second saying we should just say sod it I'm off to the pub. Just bringing attention to the reality of the situation.

We cant collapse the entire economy. for all the desire to give nurses a pay rise we cant if there is no money coming in from taxation. Supermarkets cant pay for everyone.

Completely agree. Even the supermarkets takings are down massively as they are not selling quantity of non food items

If labour is being unreasonably withdrawn then furlough should not apply either. Not suggesting that this applies in NML circumstances. This is one of the next chapters in the covid pandemic when litigation, unions, health and safety and HR all gave a field day. Furlough is for those who can't work, not those who chose not to.

I was really looking forward to NML coming back...it was one possible bonus of this whole situation. My favourite Warnock signing amidst plenty of competition. He never looks classy and at the top level but yet seems to produce. I’m gutted that he may not play but as others have said it’s his call...but I agree with those saying he can’t expect to pick up his full pay packet whilst others are playing