• Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling: "Not scared, but reserved and thinking what the worst outcome could be. I've had friends whose grandma has passed away, I've had family members as well that have passed away. You've got to be wise and take care of yourself and those around you." Action Images
    Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling: "Not scared, but reserved and thinking what the worst outcome could be. I've had friends whose grandma has passed away, I've had family members as well that have passed away. You've got to be wise and take care of yourself and those around you." Action Images
  • Newcastle United's Danny Rose: ""Government is saying 'bring football back' because it is going to boost the nation's morale. I don't give a **** about the nation's morale, bro, people's lives are at risk. Football shouldn't even be spoken about coming back until the numbers have dropped massively." Reuters
    Newcastle United's Danny Rose: ""Government is saying 'bring football back' because it is going to boost the nation's morale. I don't give a **** about the nation's morale, bro, people's lives are at risk. Football shouldn't even be spoken about coming back until the numbers have dropped massively." Reuters
  • Watford captain Troy Deeney: "I'm not even talking about football at the moment - I'm talking about my family's health. If I feel that I'm not looking after my family, then I'm not going to do it. I'm not going to put my family at risk. What are they going to do, take money off me? I've been broke before so it doesn't bother me. They're talking about not playing in front of fans until 2021. So if it's not safe enough for fans to be inside a stadium why should it be safe for players to be in there?" Reuters
    Watford captain Troy Deeney: "I'm not even talking about football at the moment - I'm talking about my family's health. If I feel that I'm not looking after my family, then I'm not going to do it. I'm not going to put my family at risk. What are they going to do, take money off me? I've been broke before so it doesn't bother me. They're talking about not playing in front of fans until 2021. So if it's not safe enough for fans to be inside a stadium why should it be safe for players to be in there?" Reuters
  • Brighton striker Glenn Murray: "Football isn't necessarily a necessity – it's a game, it's a sport. I mean, what if we go through all this rigmarole of trying to get back started, and we have a second peak and we're stopped anyway? I just can't understand after just sort of loosening the lockdown why we're in such a rush to get it back. Why can't we just wait sort of a month or so to see if things go to plan?" AFP
    Brighton striker Glenn Murray: "Football isn't necessarily a necessity – it's a game, it's a sport. I mean, what if we go through all this rigmarole of trying to get back started, and we have a second peak and we're stopped anyway? I just can't understand after just sort of loosening the lockdown why we're in such a rush to get it back. Why can't we just wait sort of a month or so to see if things go to plan?" AFP
  • Arsenal's Matteo Guendouzi: "For me, what I think is most important is to not start things up again until this epidemic stops. What's most important is everybody's health, and not just in the football world, but in the medical world and the world in general. That’s really what’s most important. I'm in favour of nothing starting up again until this virus is taken off this world." Reuters
    Arsenal's Matteo Guendouzi: "For me, what I think is most important is to not start things up again until this epidemic stops. What's most important is everybody's health, and not just in the football world, but in the medical world and the world in general. That’s really what’s most important. I'm in favour of nothing starting up again until this virus is taken off this world." Reuters
  • Norwich City's Grant Hanley: "I think the overall feeling is that players have got concerns. There's just so much uncertainty. My missus is pregnant and she's due at the start of July, so there's obviously worries there for myself. Every team and player has got different views on it. Some lads have obviously got vulnerable family members or whatever. Ultimately it's putting your family at risk that is the main concern." AP
    Norwich City's Grant Hanley: "I think the overall feeling is that players have got concerns. There's just so much uncertainty. My missus is pregnant and she's due at the start of July, so there's obviously worries there for myself. Every team and player has got different views on it. Some lads have obviously got vulnerable family members or whatever. Ultimately it's putting your family at risk that is the main concern." AP
  • Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero: ""The majority of players are scared because they have children and families. I'm scared but I'm with my girlfriend here (in Argentina) and I'm not going to be in contact with other people. I'm locked in my house and the only person I could infect is my girlfriend. They're saying that there are people that have it and don't have any symptoms but still infect you. That's why I am here at home. Maybe I have the illness and I don't even know. When one person is ill we will think 'oh what's happening here?' I hope a vaccine will be found soon so that this all ends." Reuters
    Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero: ""The majority of players are scared because they have children and families. I'm scared but I'm with my girlfriend here (in Argentina) and I'm not going to be in contact with other people. I'm locked in my house and the only person I could infect is my girlfriend. They're saying that there are people that have it and don't have any symptoms but still infect you. That's why I am here at home. Maybe I have the illness and I don't even know. When one person is ill we will think 'oh what's happening here?' I hope a vaccine will be found soon so that this all ends." Reuters
  • Gary Neville, former Manchester United and England defender: "If people are really serious about putting health first we would not be discussing football returning at this moment. The minute one member of staff or player goes into intensive care, what are they going to do? That's the bit on one shoulder telling them: 'It's a risk'. They really aren't sure at this time how to deal with it. If this was a non-economic decision, there would be no football for months." PA
    Gary Neville, former Manchester United and England defender: "If people are really serious about putting health first we would not be discussing football returning at this moment. The minute one member of staff or player goes into intensive care, what are they going to do? That's the bit on one shoulder telling them: 'It's a risk'. They really aren't sure at this time how to deal with it. If this was a non-economic decision, there would be no football for months." PA
  • Aaron Cresswell of West Ham United: "In my opinion, I think there has been a lot of talk about how quick we can get football back, but the main focus should be on people’s health. None of us know how long we will be out for and we all want to stay in the Premier League, but we cannot rush back just because people say we need to do it in a certain time period to complete the season." Getty
    Aaron Cresswell of West Ham United: "In my opinion, I think there has been a lot of talk about how quick we can get football back, but the main focus should be on people’s health. None of us know how long we will be out for and we all want to stay in the Premier League, but we cannot rush back just because people say we need to do it in a certain time period to complete the season." Getty
  • Bournemouth's Simon Francis: ""My head's saying that I would love to see football restart, to play the remaining games and finish the season; my heart is saying we shouldn't be putting football, or economics, before anyone's health and safety. I understand how much of a boost the return of football would provide: I'm still a fan myself – to be able to watch a game on TV again would be amazing. But there's no doubt about the risks involved. Footballers are healthy athletes, and the risks to us, statistically, are low, but the prospect of bringing the virus home to my family isn't something I want to think about." Reuters
    Bournemouth's Simon Francis: ""My head's saying that I would love to see football restart, to play the remaining games and finish the season; my heart is saying we shouldn't be putting football, or economics, before anyone's health and safety. I understand how much of a boost the return of football would provide: I'm still a fan myself – to be able to watch a game on TV again would be amazing. But there's no doubt about the risks involved. Footballers are healthy athletes, and the risks to us, statistically, are low, but the prospect of bringing the virus home to my family isn't something I want to think about." Reuters
  • West Ham midfielder Manuel Lanzini: “It would be crazy to play again until there is a vaccine. If you ask me if I want to play, obviously, but you need to protect others. I would not start now.” Getty
    West Ham midfielder Manuel Lanzini: “It would be crazy to play again until there is a vaccine. If you ask me if I want to play, obviously, but you need to protect others. I would not start now.” Getty
  • Watford goalkeeper Ben Foster. "Footballers are not essential key workers, we shouldn't have access to tests before frontline workers." Reuters
    Watford goalkeeper Ben Foster. "Footballers are not essential key workers, we shouldn't have access to tests before frontline workers." Reuters

Football

Raheem Sterling, Sergio Aguero, Danny Rose and the stars pushing back against Premier League's return - in pictures

There has been a green light for a June restart but plenty of players disagree

Dominic Hart

May 16, 2020

  • English
  • Arabic

The Premier League's bid to restart the season in June is in danger of being derailed by a heated debate between players about the risks of playing amid the coronavirus crisis.

While Premier League chiefs believe completing the campaign is essential to safeguard the financial and sporting future of the game, some stars are not so convinced.

Watford captain Troy Deeney has been one of the loudest voices against returning to the pitch so soon.

Although the Premier League has agreed to fund regular testing for players and staff, there is no guarantee of keeping the virus at bay while vaccine trials remain in the early stages.

But Manchester City stars Sergio Aguero and Raheem Sterling have also raised concerns about restarting, while Newcastle's Danny Rose, on loan from Tottenham, launched a furious rant about the situation.

Like Deeney and other Premier League skippers, Norwich captain Grant Hanley took part in a conference call with the Premier League this week that reportedly saw numerous disagreements.

To read the views of the growing number of Premier League players set against a return to the pitch, swipe the picture.

Coronavirus