SM
Sports Mole words bigger AMP 2
Arsenal vs. Villa: 12 hrs 54 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews

Wayne Rooney hits out at football authorities for treating players "like guinea pigs"

:Headline: Wayne Rooney hits out at football authorities for treating players 'like guinea pigs': ID:392915: from db_amp
Wayne Rooney said he would never forgive authorities if him playing led to a family member being infected by coronavirus.
Wayne Rooney hits out at football authorities for treating players 'like guinea pigs'

Wayne Rooney has criticised the government and the football authorities for treating players as "guinea pigs" in their confused message over the coronavirus outbreak.

And the former England captain says he would "never forgive" them if his family fell ill as a result.

Writing in The Times, Rooney also proposed a radical schedule shake-up which could see the current season being concluded as late as September, and the next two kicking off in winter-time as a result.

Wayne Rooney hopes to finish the season (Martin Rickett/PA)

The government last Thursday gave the all clear for sporting events to continue but Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta's admission that he had tested positive led to the Premier League announcing on Friday all games would be suspended until April 4.

Rooney wrote in his column: "Why did we wait until Friday? Why did it take Mikel Arteta to get ill for the game in England to do the right thing?

"For players, staff and their families it has been a worrying week — one in which you felt a lack of leadership from the government and from the FA and Premier League.

"After the emergency meeting, at last the right decision was made — until then it almost felt like footballers in England were being treated like guinea pigs.

"I know how I feel. If any of my family get infected through me because I've had to play when it's not safe, and they get seriously ill, I'd have to think hard about ever playing again. I would never forgive the authorities."

Ahead of a reported blanket ban on big public gatherings next week, football's message continues to be confused, with many matches at non-league level going ahead as scheduled this weekend.

Rooney said that in effectively forcing the respective leagues to make their own decision, Prime Minister Boris Johnson had "dodged" the issue. He added that he believed money was key to the authorities' initial reluctance to cancel.

"The rest of sport — tennis, Formula One, rugby, golf, football in other countries — was closing down and we were being told to carry on," added Rooney.

"I think a lot of footballers were wondering, 'Is it something to do with money being involved in this?'"

Wayne Rooney has suggested the season could be extended to September (Martin Rickett/PA)

Rooney added that he believes the authorities must come together to consider a radical re-structuring of the fixture calendar once the virus is over and football can resume.

It could include kicking off the next two Premier League seasons in winter – a revised schedule which would have a knock-on effect of better preparing international players for a winter World Cup in Qatar.

Rooney added: "We're happy to play until September if the season extends to then, if that's how it has to be. That's our job. As long as we know we're safe to play and it's a safe environment for spectators, we'll play.

"The next World Cup is in November and December 2022, so you could actually use this situation as an opportunity and say we're going to finish the 2019-20 season later this year, then prepare for 2022 by having the next two seasons starting in winter."

amp_article__392915 : Database Data restored...  : 
last updated article - 2020-03-15 09:45:49:
html db last update - 2020-03-15 09:45:49 :

ex - 7200 : read : read cache amp html

Coronavirus outbreak - Click here for more stories

Click here for more stories about Wayne Rooney

Click here for more stories about Derby County

Share this article now:
Read more about Wayne Rooney Football
Recommended Next on SM
Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Leeds UnitedLeeds26158348192953
2Burnley27141123192253
3Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd26166436171952
4Sunderland27149439221751
5Blackburn RoversBlackburn2612683123842
6Middlesbrough26118743321141
7West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom26913432211140
8Watford26115103637-138
9Bristol City2691073330337
10Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds2610793840-237
11Norwich CityNorwich269984337636
12Swansea CitySwansea2697103030034
13Queens Park RangersQPR2671182934-532
14Millwall257992423130
15Preston North EndPreston2661282834-630
16Coventry CityCoventry2678113437-329
17Oxford UnitedOxford Utd2678112941-1229
18Derby CountyDerby2676133135-427
19Stoke CityStoke2669112432-827
20Luton TownLuton2674152744-1725
21Cardiff CityCardiff2659122641-1524
22Hull City2658132536-1123
23Portsmouth2558123044-1423
24Plymouth ArgylePlymouth2649132554-2921
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.



. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .