Every player should be tested before football restart: LMA chief

London, April 11 (SocialNews.XYZ) League Managers' Association (LMA) chief executive Richard Bevan said that every football player in England should be tested first before resumption of the season in any way. Bevan said that tests must be made available to medical workers and those with the National Health Service (NHS) after which it should come to players.

"Tests must be made available first to National Health Service (NHS) workers and patients," Bevan told the BBC. "Once that's happened, by all means let's access it in sport."

The English Football League, comprising the tiers below the Premier League, had said that the season could get over in 56 days on resumption. Bevan however said that unlike in Germany, the lack of enough testing in the United Kingdom made it difficult for them to forecast when the leagues can restart.

"We're not really going to see more accurate forecasting about when we can get on the pitch until the end of April," Bevan said.

"In Germany, if you look at discussions about coming back in May, that's probably a direct result of some very clear thinking from their government because they're doing 50,000 tests a day.

"In this country we're doing 10,000 per day, although the government are targeting 100,000 each day by the end of the month. Our managers do not want to be back on the pitch unless the players have been tested."

Bevan also criticised the Football League for sending a letter to the managers of its clubs on the governing body's hope to complete the season this summer.

"You're going to have to get the support of the coaches and managers. You do not do that by not talking to them," Bevan said. "You're going to have to get the goodwill of the players because you're going to have at least three weeks of training to get back on the pitch at least.

"The most important thing guiding every principle is health, and getting back on the pitch without ensuring fully-fit players is a very big call to make."

Source: IANS