Ex-Fifa official: Premier League should hold Tuchel talks after ‘enormous’ Chelsea controversy
The Premier League should have consulted Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel and the other top-flight managers on their decision to continue the season despite the rising number of covid cases within clubs.
That is the view of ex-Fifa and Premier League referee Keith Hackett, speaking exclusively to Football Insider after Tuchel revealed he wanted Chelsea’s game with Wolves to be postponed because of a covid outbreak in his squad.
The German told BBC Sport (19 December) not postponing the game was a safety risk.
He was forced to play a number of players who had only just returned from injury while only four outfield players were named on the bench.
Sky Sports reported yesterday (20 November) the Premier League decided to continue the season after a shareholders meeting.
“They had their meeting yesterday,” Hackett told Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley.
“But I think the Premier League need to collectively get the view of the managers and then make a decision.
“Ultimately, at the end of the day, the managers know their players and are always up to date with the squads. If the Premier League have a trust issue or want clarification of the position of the clubs they can get that through the medical team. Each club has a substantial medical team.
“They’ve got to listen to managers. The argument they [the Premier League] will put through will be about the commercial implications, which are enormous. The league will say ‘You’ve got squads of 25, you ought to be able to put a team out’.
“But Chelsea couldn’t even fill their bench against Wolves.”
In other news, there has been a big update on a Chelsea star signing for a bitter rival and a deal could be done in days.