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Friday Fulham Stuff - 29/05/20...

Started by WhiteJC, May 29, 2020, 08:47:38 AM

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WhiteJC

Two Fulham Players Among Three Positive Coronavirus Tests in EFL

Fulham have announced that two of their players are among the three to have tested positive for Coronavirus in the latest round of EFL testing.

Two Fulham Players Test Positive for Coronavirus

No Names

The club have not revealed the names of the players. However, they have confirmed that they will self-isolate in line with the current government guidelines.

The EFL say that 1,030 players and staff from their three divisions have been tested over the course of Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday this week.

Only those with a positive test will be permitted to enter clubs' training facilities, as many teams return to training this week.

Premier League teams have been back at training for a couple of weeks now, and it was confirmed yesterday that they will soon be allowed to return to contact training as opposed to the distanced training they were doing.

It has not yet been confirmed which club the third positive test has come from.

Two Hull City players were confirmed to have the virus, although asymptomatic, last Sunday after the previous round of testing.

What Was Said?

An EFL statement said: "Those players or club staff who have tested positive will now self-isolate in line with the guidelines provided by the EFL and only those who have tested negative will be permitted to enter training ground facilities.

"The EFL will continue to make regular and relevant announcements as appropriate in respect of the testing programme to support competition integrity and transparency.

"No specific details as to clubs or individuals will be provided by the league."



https://lastwordonfootball.com/2020/05/28/two-fulham-players-among-three-positive-coronavirus-tests-in-efl/

WhiteJC

Fulham have option to sign Southampton midfielder on permanent basis


Fulham have an option to sign Southampton loanee Harrison reed on a permanent basis.

The midfielder joined the Cottagers on loan last year and Scott Parker's can sign him permanently if they want this summer, as announced by their official club website last August.

The big question is will the London side exercise this option at the end of this season?

Reed, who is 25 years old, has made 17 appearances for Fulham in all competitions. He adds more options and depth to their midfield department but has suffered with injury since his move to Craven Cottage.

If the campaign resumes, the ex-England Under-20 international could play a key part in Fulham's pursuit of a promotion to the Premier League.

Reed is a product of the Southampton academy and has played 30 times for thier first-team, but has never quite managed to nail down a regular spot in their side.

He has spent the past three seasons out on loan in the Championship at Norwich City, Blackburn Rovers and now Fulham and has racked up plenty of experience.

The midfielder still has a year left on his contract at St Mary's but Fulham will be weighing up whether to exercise their option to sign him permanently. They used a similar clause to land Ivan Caveleiro from Wolves in the January transfer window.

Reed's chances of a permanent move to Craven Cottage may depend on what league they are playing in next term. Parker's men currently sit 3rd in the table and are six points behind West Brom in 2nd.



https://the72.co.uk/169106/fulham-have-option-to-sign-southampton-midfielder-on-permanent-basis/

WhiteJC

Coronavirus latest: Two Fulham players test positive for COVID-19

Blackburn captain Elliott Bennett and two unnamed Fulham players have tested positive for coronavirus in the latest round of testing in the Championship.

The EFL confirmed 1,030 samples from players and staff were gathered at second-tier clubs between Monday and Wednesday of this week, with three positive results coming from two clubs.

Blackburn confirmed Bennett had been tested on Monday and was found to have Covid-19, but was asymptomatic.

He will now isolate for seven days and will return to training on June 5 if he does not go on to develop symptoms, the club said.

Bennett said: "I feel fit and healthy. Hopefully this sends out a positive message to the community that perhaps many people have or have had the virus without showing any effects.

"I obviously would never have known if we hadn't returned to training and taken the tests, because I don't feel unwell and have got no symptoms whatsoever.

"There seems to have been a lot of hysteria about footballers returning to training, but it's not a big deal at all. It's the people who are seriously ill in hospital that we need to worry about, not footballers who are fit and healthy, and who aren't showing any signs of being unwell."

Fulham confirmed two of their players had also tested positive, but did not name them due to medical confidentiality.

The results, which show that well over 99.5 per cent of those tested were negative, is a further boost to the Championship's restart plans, with the competition hoping to resume at some stage next month.

Votes on curtailing the League One and Two seasons are expected next week.

At Premier League level, four individuals from three clubs were found to be Covid-19 positive in the testing round conducted on Monday and Tuesday, which covered 1,008 tests.

Top-flight clubs voted unanimously in favour of a return to contact training on Wednesday and are meeting again today to discuss wider issues such as the restart date, the rebate to broadcasters, neutral venues and models for curtailment.



https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/fulham/news/coronavirus-latest-two-fulham-players-test-positive-for-covid-19_400636.html


WhiteJC

 Blackburn's Elliott Bennett and two Fulham players test positive for coronavirus
Bennett: "It's not a big deal at all. It's the people who are seriously ill in hospital that we need to worry about, not footballers who are fit and healthy."

Blackburn midfielder Elliott Bennett and two unnamed Fulham players have tested positive for coronavirus.

Bennett, 31, is asymptomatic and feeling no ill effects. Blackburn have confirmed Bennett will now self-isolate at home for the next seven days and provided he develops no symptoms, will return to training with his Rovers team-mates on Friday June 5.

Blackburn have also confirmed the players and coaching staff who were in the same group as Bennett for Monday's small group training session have subsequently been re-tested and have again provided negative results.

In a statement, Bennett said: "I feel fit and healthy. Hopefully this sends out a positive message to the community that perhaps many people have or have had the virus without showing any effects.

"I obviously would never have known if we hadn't returned to training and taken the tests, because I don't feel unwell and have got no symptoms whatsoever.

"There seems to have been a lot of hysteria about footballers returning to training, but it's not a big deal at all. It's the people who are seriously ill in hospital that we need to worry about, not footballers who are fit and healthy, and who aren't showing any signs of being unwell."

In their latest round of testing, the EFL says 1,030 players and club staff were tested over the course of Monday 25, Tuesday 26 and Wednesday 27 May.

Two individuals from Hull tested positive following the first round of coronavirus testing in the Championship, but the club confirmed none of their players or staff were included in the three new positive tests.

Those players or club staff who have tested positive will now self-isolate in line with the guidelines provided by the EFL and only those who have tested negative will be permitted to enter training ground facilities.

In a statement, Fulham said: "After the second round of league-wide testing for COVID-19 completed by Fulham FC players and staff this week at the Club's training facility, we can confirm that two players have tested positive for Coronavirus.

"Both players, who shall remain unnamed due to medical confidentiality, are now self-isolating in line with league and government guidance."

The EFL outlined last Friday they would adopt a "flexible approach" in their finalised Return to Training Protocols (RTT), including the option for players to self-test for coronavirus.

Players and staff will be required to complete a daily medical questionnaire submitted before arrival at the training ground on training days, with access denied if this is not submitted before arrival.

The Premier League revealed four more people had tested positive after their third round of coronavirus testing on Monday and Tuesday.

There is currently no testing programme for League One clubs, with their season set to be decided on unweighted points-per-game.

League Two clubs have already "unanimously indicated" they wish to end their season, but the EFL board has described maintaining relegation as "integral" to preserving the competition's "integrity".



https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11688/11995421/blackburns-elliott-bennett-and-two-fulham-players-test-positive-for-coronavirus

WhiteJC

Football League return plans boosted despite two positive tests at Fulham

Fulham have been confirmed as having two positive coronavirus tests whilst Blackburn Rovers star Elliott Bennett has also tested positive but results mark positive news for the EFL return plans

The Football League's hopes of resuming the season have been handed a boost following the news that just three individuals have tested positive for Covid-19.

The EFL has tested 1,030 players and club staff for the virus over the last three days, with three people being found positive from two clubs.

Blackburn Rovers confirmed captain Elliott Bennett as one of those to test positive.

The other two are from Championship club Fulham and will now be forced to isolate for seven days in line with EFL and Government guidelines.

But the fact so few have tested positive from such widespread testing will give football bosses the confidence that the EFL season can resume towards the end of next month.

The news comes just 24 hours after it emerged that there had only been four new positive tests at three Premier League clubs after 1,008 players and club staff were tested earlier this week.

All 20 top flight clubs voted unanimously to return to the second phase of contact training and will now look to step up sessions before resuming games next month.

Those clubs in the Championship and League One remain keen to follow suit and get the season completed, despite the fact League Two have decided to abandon their own campaign.

An EFL spokesperson said: "The EFL will continue to make regular and relevant announcements as appropriate in respect of the testing programme to support competition integrity and transparency.

"No specific details as to Clubs or individuals will be provided by the League."



https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/football-league-return-plans-boosted-22101286

WhiteJC

Championship clubs struggling to afford coronavirus tests to receive financial help after teams face bills of £200,000 for screening their players ahead of restart of current campaign

    Championship clubs are having difficulty affording coronavirus tests for players
    Sportsmail can reveal that clubs will be allowed to put payments on hold
    All 24 clubs in the Championship are facing bills estimated at £200,000
    Clubs have option to have money taken directly from next solidarity payments

The second round of EFL test results came back on Thursday with two Fulham players and Blackburn captain Elliott Bennett the only three positive cases out of 1,030 players.

But Championship clubs having difficulty affording the tests will be allowed to put payments on hold, Sportsmail can reveal.

All 24 clubs, most of whom are suffering financial hardship due in part to the pandemic, face bills estimated at £200,000.


Championship clubs are set to receive financial help over paying for coronavirus tests

Contact training is due to start next week but there has been debate over who should pay for the tests.

It can now be disclosed that clubs have been given the option to have the money taken directly from their next solidarity payments.

That means they will not have to settle the bills directly, but instead have the money deducted from the cash injections they receive from the League.

The three positive tests that came back on Thursday follow two positive samples from last weekend's first batch of results.


Blackburn's Elliott Bennett (above), and two Fulham stars, tested positive for coronavirus

Bennett said: 'I feel fit and healthy. I obviously would never have known if we hadn't returned to training and taken the tests because I don't feel unwell and have got no symptoms whatsoever.'

Championship managers have been planning for a restart over the weekend of June 20 in parallel with the Premier League.

Sportsmail understands the EFL sent contact training guidance to clubs on Thursday and there is hope clubs can respond with updated risk assessments soon.



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-8367243/Championship-clubs-struggling-afford-coronavirus-tests-receive-financial-help.html


WhiteJC

Lee Bowyer: Three Charlton Athletic players not yet back training

Charlton Athletic manager Lee Bowyer says three players have not returned to training with the rest of the squad because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Several Championship clubs have been back in training since Monday, although there is no confirmed restart date for the 2019-20 season.

Bowyer spoke to BBC Radio 5 Live before the English Football League published results of the latest round of testing.

Three people tested positive from a total of 1,030 tests carried out.

Those tests were conducted between Monday and Wednesday, with tests last week returning two positive results from a total of 1,014 carried out - both of them at Hull City.

Bowyer said: "I met the players on Saturday before we'd done our first test and I asked them all individually 'it's your choice, do you want to come back and play the remainder of the season?'

"I've asked every single player and I said 'there's no pressure, it's your choice'.

"I understand everyone has got different circumstances, of course I'd rather everybody came back because the more players you've got, the bigger squad you've got and the more chance of winning games, but that isn't the case and we'll have to adapt.

"I'm sure there's other players at other teams that have also said 'no'."

Bowyer says he does not know if there are implications for players' contracts if they decide not to return to Charlton's Sparrows Lane training base.

"That's something that we'll have to look into, but as it stands all I'm concentrating on is trying to get this group of players who have said 'yes' ready for the first game," the 43-year-old said.

"So contract-wise behind the scenes, that's not for me to decide, that's for the club."

The domestic season has been suspended since 13 March because of the pandemic and lockdown restrictions in England.

Championship clubs have returned to training in small groups, in accordance with the EFL's safety guidance and training protocols, with Charlton running three simultaneous sessions for three groups of five, with a further 10 players training afterwards.

Finishing season is 'right thing to do'

Charlton dropped into the relegation zone just before the campaign was halted, and are two points away from safety.

Bowyer is keen to complete the season, but says this would be the case even if the Addicks were not threatened by the drop into the third tier.

"It is unlucky the way it's fallen, but even if we weren't in the bottom three I would have still been just as eager to finish the season," he said.

"I think it's the right thing to do because when you sign up to a season, you sign up to a 46-game season and we've only played 37.

"The right thing to do is try to finish the season - but when it's safe.

"And that's what the EFL want to do. I've been on a managers' call and they said that the bar is to finish the season and I'm on board with that."



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52834450