AFCON and Covid??

[Paveman]

To be clear I do not believe in any way or form is the reason Victor Osimhen has been ruled out. Covid quarantine is now 5 days and this competition stretches for a month. So covid is not a reason to drop someone. Yesterday, Ethiopia beat Sudan 3-0 in a test game without 3 players impacted by covid. Those players have not been dropped! The reason the squads were enlarged is specifically for these covid situations.

Nigeria likely will be affected, as will other teams, by covid absences and returns during this competition. Expect it.

Niyi, you are correct, but NFF could have asked the Napoli medics to fly down or else do away with them completely. Legally, the NFF medics have the last say. HOWEVER, given the seriousness of the injury, the time Osimhen has been out, and also the feeling of the player (that he is not confident to play as yet), it was definitely the best decision.

On another note re COVID, I fear that if the teams do not take the COVID protocol seriously, the competition will degenerate into a farce. Let me explain: it is absolutely crucial that the players and staff do not have contact with people outside their bubbles during the whole of the competition, their only contact being on the pitch during games. Otherwise it will be very difficult to keep covid-free. Hopefully, camp won’t turn out to be a laissez faire of players going out, meeting agents, families and journalists etc. Equally, all other staff designated to the teams (chefs, drivers, media team etc) need to remain isolated. Unfortunately I very much doubt the professionalism of some of the teams in the tournament, and the circus folllowing the players, not least the players themselves who will be tempted to break camp covid rules. We shall see.

[maceo4]

To be clear I do not believe in any way or form is the reason Victor Osimhen has been ruled out. Covid quarantine is now 5 days and this competition stretches for a month. So covid is not a reason to drop someone. Yesterday, Ethiopia beat Sudan 3-0 in a test game without 3 players impacted by covid. Those players have not been dropped! The reason the squads were enlarged is specifically for these covid situations.

Nigeria likely will be affected, as will other teams, by covid absences and returns during this competition. Expect it.

Niyi, you are correct, but NFF could have asked the Napoli medics to fly down or else do away with them completely. Legally, the NFF medics have the last say. HOWEVER, given the seriousness of the injury, the time Osimhen has been out, and also the feeling of the player (that he is not confident to play as yet), it was definitely the best decision.

On another note re COVID, I fear that if the teams do not take the COVID protocol seriously, the competition will degenerate into a farce. Let me explain: it is absolutely crucial that the players and staff do not have contact with people outside their bubbles during the whole of the competition, their only contact being on the pitch during games. Otherwise it will be very difficult to keep covid-free. Hopefully, camp won’t turn out to be a laissez faire of players going out, meeting agents, families and journalists etc. Equally, all other staff designated to the teams (chefs, drivers, media team etc) need to remain isolated. Unfortunately I very much doubt the professionalism of some of the teams in the tournament, and the circus folllowing the players, not least the players themselves who will be tempted to break camp covid rules. We shall see.

Yep, let’s hope it doesn’t become a farce…

[vancity eagle]

Who will be the first team to have all their keepers knocked out and force to put an outfield player between the sticks.

It is actually a good thing to bring 4 keepers much to many peoples complaints.

But these keepers need to isolate from each other.