'I'm very concerned': Ex-Sunderland boss Sam Allardyce calls for football to STOP amid rising COVID cases
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Allardyce, now in charge of Premier League side West Brom, was quizzed on reports that a two-week ‘circuit breaker’ stoppage to the game is being considered.
The suggestion comes after a number of games at all levels have been postponed over the festive period owing to outbreaks of COVID-19.
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Hide AdIn League One, half of the fixtures scheduled for December 26 and 29 were unable to be fulfilled after several clubs – including Sunderland – saw players and staff return positive cases.
Further up the pyramid, Manchester City and Sheffield United have both seen outbreaks over the course of the last week.
And Allardyce admits he is ‘concerned’ by the spread of the new variant of the virus, and believes a temporary stoppage to the game is the right thing to do under the circumstances.
He told the BBC: “I'm very concerned for myself and football in general.
"Everyone's safety is more important than anything else.
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Hide Ad"When I listen to the news that the variant virus transmits quicker than the original virus, we can only do the right thing, which is have a circuit break.
"I am 66 years old and the last thing I want to do is catch Covid.
"As much as we're getting tested - we had one positive this week - it seems to be creeping round. No matter how hard we try, no matter how many times we get tested, how we wear our masks, how we sanitise our hands, we're still catching a lot infections round the country.
"If that helps [circuit breaker], let's do it and let the season run a little longer when we get through it."
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Hide AdManchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was less keen on the suggestion.
"I can't see the benefit in having a circuit break, whatever it's going to be called,” he admitted.
"Because when are we going to play the games? We all know this year is so difficult, but I don't think stopping the games is going to make a big, big change.”