England V Republic Of Ireland Football Match

[Sunk]

Why is this match taking place on Thursday ?

We are on full lockdown. We cannot meet anyone outside our household outdoors, but 22 men can be on a pitch not practising social distancing.

The match is not competitive, it is a friendly. No crowd is allowed in the stadium. The England team have an important fixture Sunday, so will not be competing hard, and will be avoiding injury. The last 6 meetings between the two teams has resulted in 6 draws.

The English FA are being irresponsible playing this match. They are putting the health and safety at risk for the television money. (Not that many will be watching).

(New Zealand were originally England’s opponents, but withdrew due to covid)

[ichkeria]

Give the Republic a break.
They need something to take their mind off Norn Irn’s Euro 2021 play off final :-)

[ichkeria]

You just said yourself the England team would have been playing anyway. So presumably they want this game

[Arksided]

I totally agree, If England didn't have any Qualifying games like pre Euro '96 I could understand the point of friendlies. In the current clime and the already overfull fixture list for the players involved it seems utterly pointless, after the NZ game was cancelled that should have been a red flag for the top-nobs in charge.

[Ken4155]

How is it any different from all the other matches that are taking place daily? The majority of the ROI team play for English clubs, so it's not as if they have to travel from Ireland. Add to that the fact that footballers are tested on a regular basis. Which TV station is covering the match?

[Ken4155]

Just answered my last question - ITV. Up against DIY SOS:-/

[ichkeria]

Yes I agree all Ken says.
I'd have thought this was a much lower risk game than most. There was talk of England v Iceland being kiboshed by the Danish minkovirus panic, because Iceland had been to Denmark, or some such.
England is pretty strict about no fans. There'll be 1060 at Windsor Pk for N Ireland v Slovakia and there have been pretty busy looking stadiums at some of the European games.

[Arksided]

I was just looking, ITV 7:30 KO at 8.00pm.

[bobbinwales]

Theres a simple answer. There are special rules for elite sports people who after follow agreed rules about reglar testing and other things.

[Old_Geezer]

Governments allow it so Shrug

[youngmafbog]

I cant see a problem with it really.