Photo via NDTV Sports
Football managers and politicians in the UK are on a collision course over a renewed push to reduce unnecessary close contact among players.
The politicians say things like shaking hands and group celebrations after a goal should be banned, amid a surge in COVID-19 cases in the UK.
According to them, such close contact is not only risky amid the pandemic, but also sets a bad example at a time when everyone should be practicing physical distancing.
To be clear, this is not a new ruling - it was put in place when the season resumed after last year’s suspension, but was never properly enforced.
Referees, however, are now expected to go strictly by the book, with one politician even suggesting that players be yellow-carded if they breach this SOP.
Club managers, however, are not fans of this rule.
They say celebrating a goal is a natural reaction, and those calling for it to be banned simply don’t understand football, or sports in general.
Bosses like Pep Guardiola and Sam Allardyce also added that players are regularly tested for COVID-19, meaning that every player on the field is presumably clear of the coronavirus, so close contact should not be a problem.
However, Chelsea manager Frank Lampard is taking the new ruling in his stride.
He admits that it can be difficult to go against the natural instinct to celebrate, but players will just have to get used to it.
Lampard even suggested that he may actually train his players not to celebrate as a group.
Whether you agree with the ruling or not, Lampard does have a point.
The coronavirus pandemic has forced us all to live life a little differently, so we’re just going to have to accept it as the new normal.
Keep following SOPs, guys!
by Nicholas Darren John
