“We are not ready to play football again” – Conquerors Sampson Gilbert

May 14, 2020 Sports

The English Premier League and the Bundesliga (German football league) has announced plans to restart competitive football behind closed doors in the near future with the Germans slated to have their first match-day this Saturday. The move has been seen as a step in the right direction for many but the Bundesliga announced that it was necessary to avoid losing critical funds, which without, would see some clubs battling bankruptcy while putting thousands of jobs at risk.
World Athletics and Formula One has also rolled out a timeline for a return to competition.

Sampson Gilbert

However, while this is very positive on the global front, head coach of the Fruta Conquerors Football Club (FCFC); Sampson Gilbert, believes that Guyana and the region are not ready to play football anytime soon since we by no near measure have a control on the deadly coronavirus.
During an invited comment with Kaieteur Sport, Gilbert shared his belief that, “All the social aspects of society cannot be viable unless the society is healthy, so sportsmen and women in any discipline have to ensure they guard themselves against the virus.”
“Even playing behind closed doors, there is still a chance of being infected despite the necessary measures that will be taken. Players will still be together in the dressing room and referees will also be together and I don’t think that entertainment and football is worth even one life.”
The two-time GFF elite league winning coach empathised that, “We all miss football but people lives are not worth the entertainment. I can’t pronounce fully whether the Bundesliga and Premier League are ready but I can say without a doubt that we are not.”
Gilbert revealed that his players, who he is in constant contact with, are eager and passionate to get back on the pitch but he is using this time to educate them via social media, mainly Whatsapp, on the various aspects of the game.
The coach also revealed that he has been doing a lot of counseling and giving guidance on conflict resolution because he believes that being cooped up at home 24/7 may bring about some disagreements that can escalate.
Coach Gilbert posited that, “What we need to do right now is continue to follow the guidelines of health officials and practice social distancing so we can overcome the disease locally and return to normalcy.”
“It is also important to support everyone including sportspersons who are being mostly affected by the pandemic financially and emotionally, in whatever way we can.” (Calvin Chapman)

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