WATFORD stars were seen arriving at the club’s training ground after negative coronavirus tests as Jamie Carragher claimed they’re the “safest place to be”.
The Hornets are getting back to work despite the club reporting THREE positive cases of Covid-19 – including one player and two staff members – on Tuesday night.
Will Hughes reported for training on Wednesday despite some stars refusing to take part in the session
A Nationwide Pathology van, which is a company that tests for diseases, was seen entering the ground
Midfielder Tom Cleverley sported a bushier beard than usual following lockdown as he arrived at work
Christian Kabasele pulled up in his training gear as the return of the Premier League edges closer
Adrian Mariappa, 33, revealed he is the Vicarage Road ace that tested positive for the killer virus during the first wave of testing.
The Hornets reported half of all positive coronavirus cases of the 748 tests that were carried out by the Premier League after clubs voted to approve a formal return to the training ground.
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The agreement to move to “Stage One” of the training protocols will see all 20 top flight squads beginning basic work from today.
That will allow simplistic non-contact drills as individuals or groups of no more than five per pitch, with staggered arrival times and all equipment disinfected before and after use.
Hornets aces like Will Hughes, Tom Cleverley and Christian Kabasele all rocked up to the London Colney ground sporting red shirts as they look to get back to business.
A Nationwide Pathology van was seen arriving at the base, which is a company used for testing diseases and has been hired by the EFL to test Championship players and staff.
However it isn’t known whether further Covid-19 tests were being carried out at North London club on Wednesday.
It is worth noting that the top-flight has opted for Hong Kong biotechnology firm Prenetics to carry out around 800 tests, twice a week, during ‘Project Restart’.
Vicarage Road icon Troy Deeney is leading the fightback against returning to training.
Watford skipper Deeney said on Monday he would NOT be returning due to the risk of Covid-19 to his young son who suffers from breathing difficulties and BAME players.
And several more Hornets stars have reportedly chosen to stay away from their London Colney base today over virus fears.
Carragher, speaking on Sky Sports’ The Football Show, empathised with with Deeney’s perspective, but believes training grounds are the safest place to be.
He said: “The problem is, it is about getting players onside and go with the flow of the Premier League,
“Deeney has spoken about his worries, mainly with his son but also BAME people throughout society.
“You go into a barbers shop, you don’t know who is there but the people you are training with and playing against have all been tested so the training grounds are safer.
“If people are picking up Covid-19 through going into football clubs then it is a big worry – something wrong with testing or people not dealing with government protocols.
“The training grounds are safe. Players who tested positive have picked it up outside.
“I would get confidence as a Watford player going back to training knowing that the people who have got it are self-isolating.
“Yes I understand we all have different worries and concerns but in the main I would as a player feel confident going back if I was at Watford.”
Newcastle United’s on-loan Tottenham left-back Danny Rose has already hit out that players are being treated like “lab rats” and described the initial non-contact training sessions as an “experiment”.
Fears have reportedly been rising that more than six Premier League stars and staff have coronavirus after it emerged nearly 10 tests in 800 give false readings.
However, Prenetics chief executive Avi Lasarow insists the 98.8 per cent accuracy of their testing is in line with those given by the NHS.
Premier League boost as only 6 unnamed players and staff test positive for coronavirus as stars return to training
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
