Should Footballers be vaccinated now?

[Spursex]

Sean Dyche: Burnley boss wants vaccinations for footballers and testing money sent to NHS

Dyche: "Let me make it clear, there are people way in front of footballers [as a priority to be vaccinated]. I'm not remotely suggesting that should be put in front of the welfare of people who are very vulnerable"


Thursday 7 January 2021 20:02, UK



Burnley manager Sean Dyche called for Premier League footballers to be vaccinated to protect the game's integrity and thinks the money used for testing could be invested back into the NHS



Burnley boss Sean Dyche says footballers should be vaccinated in order to re-distribute the money spent on testing players back to the NHS.
The Premier League is currently testing players and staff twice a week, with 40 confirmed positive cases in the latest round of results.

The EFL announced a move to twice-weekly testing earlier this week following multiple match postponements across the Championship, League One and League Two.

This weekend's FA Cup schedule has also been affected, following the postponement of Southampton's tie against Shrewsbury, while Derby are being forced to field a group of U23 and U18 players to play Chorley after the entire first-team squad went into isolation.
Dyche revealed Burnley have been affected by "a couple of cases", but their FA Cup at home to MK Dons on Saturday is unaffected.

Rob Dorsett explains the sequence of events that led to the closure of Aston Villa's training ground following a coronavirus outbreak among the playing squad and staff

"It's my view, I think vaccination is the way forward throughout football," Dyche said.



"The amount of money being spent on testing in the Premier League, if that was channelled back into the NHS and into the vaccination system, surely that's a better place to be than continually testing footballers.


"I appreciate some people will be surprised by that comment and people will say: 'Why should footballers get vaccinations?' But, if the testing diminishes, that money could be used for a much better cause.


EFL plans to introduce two coronavirus tests per week for players and staff at all 72 clubs from Monday are welcomed by QPR chief executive Lee Hoos

"Football then also remains a competitive industry rather than what might end up as a skewed industry because of players missing from games. It's a common-sense view.

"Let me make it clear, there are people way in front of footballers [as a priority to be vaccinated]. I'm not remotely suggesting that should be put in front of the welfare of people who are very vulnerable.

"What I'm saying is: Is there a timeline where they can fast-track to that period? Logically, it would be better putting the funding that is put into testing into the system to encourage more vaccinations.

"That money could be used more wisely, I would suggest, to get it out there quicker to the vulnerable and beyond."

 

[Littlest Hobo]

I have voted no.

Sean Dyche makes a point about tax, income, money spent on testing etc

It all boils down to one thing. The second you make it about money, be it £100 or £100m you get people with enough money jumping imaginary queues. I would rather see football postponed indefinitely than see them using their industry might to get vaccines. its vulgar

 

[Spursex]

I have voted no.

Sean Dyche makes a point about tax, income, money spent on testing etc

It all boils down to one thing. The second you make it about money, be it £100 or £100m you get people with enough money jumping imaginary queues. I would rather see football postponed indefinitely than see them using their industry might to get vaccines. its vulgar

I think he's said before that as football is our national game and gives so much interest/hope etc it's also for the good of people's mental states/well being.

Whilst he mentions the costs that testing is causing now, I don't think t has to be about money, it's the wider context that it appears to me that it's addressing.

But your points are well made.

 

[Nick Real Deal]

I voted yes because they are too thick not to get infected.

 

[Topspur1]

I voted no, it's not about money it's about saving lives. Once High risk and vulnerable have been vaccinated it may be worth a look at, in other words once I've been vaccinated why not lol!

 

[Pompey Yid]

I voted Maybe-not sure, because that's exactly how I feel, on one hand I do not believe it is elitism and on the other it makes sense one way or another, so fence sitting for me, I did listen to Sean Dyche's words closely, on one hand I truly understand where he is coming from on, but the other hand it was mmmm! afterwards I though Jesus that is really going to put the cat amongst the pigeons esp as we live in a world full of snowflakes and PC morons.

Also for me if anybody in Prem management has his feet firmly on the ground and speaks as he finds, rightly or wrongly, its Sean Dyche.

 

[Departed]

Politicians should be last.

 

[Gary Onedaysoon]

I have voted no.

Sean Dyche makes a point about tax, income, money spent on testing etc

It all boils down to one thing. The second you make it about money, be it £100 or £100m you get people with enough money jumping imaginary queues. I would rather see football postponed indefinitely than see them using their industry might to get vaccines. its vulgar

There have been reports of wealthy people offering obscene amounts of money to jump the queue. But apparently they've been unsuccessful. Covid vaccines must be one of the very few things that money can't buy in this world. For now, anyway.

 

[muttley]

Morally, NO. Footballers are in the age-group where they are most likely to be asymptomatic and not burdening the NHS, or high risk of a loss of life.

Practically YES. Inevitably, the government are still ramping up to create a plan to have maximum vaccinations going on up and down the UK. I can absolutely promise you that whatever target they set as 100%, they won't achieve it. That could be for a whole hosts of reasons including no-shows from the target list or the availability of the medics or facilities that are able to administer the vaccine. There will be enough capacity to vaccinate another small group like the professional football community. If there is a strong enough case that the continuation of football is good for the mental health of the country as our national sport, then I sort of get why you might slot them in.

It won't happen though because politics is about winning votes. Boris will know that even the most practical argument for immunising the football community will be manipulated horribly by the media and voters. It's too much of a divisive topic to even go there. They are more likely to win votes by holding the moral high ground and not doing it.

 

[Spursex]

There have been reports of wealthy people offering obscene amounts of money to jump the queue. But apparently they've been unsuccessful. Covid vaccines must be one of the very few things that money can't buy in this world. For now, anyway.

I've been offered the Russian Vaccine for what is for most people a disgusting amount of money - and obviously (or maybe not) I'd have to travel to Russia to get it, I have a long entry visa with Russia and could hope on a couple of planes tomorrow to get to where I need to be.

I turned the offer down flat, all I can say the offer was from a credible source/military clinic, but feck knows what they'd inject me with lol!

 

[muttley]

I've been offered the Russian Vaccine for what is for most people a disgusting amount of money - and obviously (or maybe not) I'd have to travel to Russia to get it, I have a long entry visa with Russia and could hope on a couple of planes tomorrow to get to where I need to be.

I turned the offer down flat, all I can say the offer was from a credible source/military clinic, but feck knows what they'd inject me with lol!

"....could hope on a couple of planes tomorrow...." - as Freudian as it gets !!!

 

[Nick Real Deal]

I've been offered the Russian Vaccine for what is for most people a disgusting amount of money - and obviously (or maybe not) I'd have to travel to Russia to get it, I have a long entry visa with Russia and could hope on a couple of planes tomorrow to get to where I need to be.

I turned the offer down flat, all I can say the offer was from a credible source/military clinic, but feck knows what they'd inject me with lol!

Polonichok.

 

[Littlest Hobo]

There have been reports of wealthy people offering obscene amounts of money to jump the queue. But apparently they've been unsuccessful. Covid vaccines must be one of the very few things that money can't buy in this world. For now, anyway.

Exactly My point. It should be the one thing money and status cannot buy. The signal it would give would be a disgrace.

I am a 45yr old bloke. I expect I am pretty low down the queue to get a vaccine but I expect a fit Professional footballer to be even lower down the list. At no point do I want to play with my health Lottery so someone Can watch a game of football.

Cancel Football long before letting them buy vaccines

 

[Littlest Hobo]

I've been offered the Russian Vaccine for what is for most people a disgusting amount of money - and obviously (or maybe not) I'd have to travel to Russia to get it, I have a long entry visa with Russia and could hope on a couple of planes tomorrow to get to where I need to be.

I turned the offer down flat, all I can say the offer was from a credible source/military clinic, but feck knows what they'd inject me with lol!

Holy shit.

 

[USAFSPURS]

Holy shit.

Yeah pretty much what I thought and said.

 

[USAFSPURS]

So my answer...NO!

But of course we ALL know that folks with lots of money will find a way to skirt the system...just the way the world works.

 

[Pompey Yid]

I've been offered the Russian Vaccine for what is for most people a disgusting amount of money - and obviously (or maybe not) I'd have to travel to Russia to get it, I have a long entry visa with Russia and could hope on a couple of planes tomorrow to get to where I need to be.

I turned the offer down flat, all I can say the offer was from a credible source/military clinic, but feck knows what they'd inject me with lol!

Its called Vavodka or Vodkaccine I believe. lol!

 

[RafasLeftFoot]

I've been offered the Russian Vaccine for what is for most people a disgusting amount of money - and obviously (or maybe not) I'd have to travel to Russia to get it, I have a long entry visa with Russia and could hope on a couple of planes tomorrow to get to where I need to be.

I turned the offer down flat, all I can say the offer was from a credible source/military clinic, but feck knows what they'd inject me with lol!

wow... do it!!

 

[meee93]

If the reasoning is so that the money can be redistributed to the NHS, I'm not sure that would have a substantial impact. (and that's before you doubt if clubs would be honest in all of that money being directed back...)

The issue the health service is facing is more one of a lack of staff to deal with the high number of cases. Unlike in the first wave where there was a major issue of bed, ventilator, PPE etc shortage. This time it is trying to get enough of the correctly trained staff available or their just isn't enough of them so they are having to spread their work (and lower care standards).

I'm not sure that this is something that can be fixed in the short term by putting this money towards it. Also, how much are we talking about coming from football teams? I'd imagine that whilst it is a lot of money it is still probably relatively small when compared to the NHS budget.

I'd stick to giving it to those who need it first. Then to teachers and other essential workers so we can keep schools and other key places open safely.

 

[WaccyMaccy]

No for a plethora of reasons.