Arsenal issued an official statement late yesterday which read:
Our London Colney training centre has been closed after head coach Mikel Arteta received a positive COVID-19 result this evening.
Arsenal personnel who had recent close contact with Mikel will now self-isolate in line with Government health guidelines. We expect this to be a significant number of people from Colney, including the full first-team squad and coaching staff, as well as a smaller number of people from our Hale End Academy which we have also temporarily closed as a precaution.
We expect those who did not have close contact with Mikel to return to work in the coming days. In the meantime our Colney and Hale End training centres will undergo a deep clean and our other club sites are operating as normal.
Managing director Vinai Venkatesham said: “The health of our people and the wider public is our priority and that is where our focus is. Our thoughts are with Mikel who is disappointed but in good spirits. We are in active dialogue with all the relevant people to manage this situation appropriately, and we look forward to getting back to training and playing as soon as medical advice allows.”
Head of football Raul Sanllehi added: “Mikel and the full first-team squad, players and staff, will be fully supported, and we look forward to getting back to training and playing as soon as medical advice allows. Obviously Mikel’s full recovery is the priority now for us all.”
We will work with Public Health England on the next steps in regard to our facilities and staff, and with the Premier League, Football Association and relevant clubs around our forthcoming matches in the Premier League and Emirates FA Cup.
It is clear we will not be able to play some fixtures on their currently scheduled dates. We will update supporters who have tickets for forthcoming games with more information as soon as possible.
We are now working to trace any other people who have had recent close contact with Mikel. We will let them know what has happened and they should follow the NHS guidance which is likely to recommend self-isolation.
Mikel said: “This is really disappointing but I took the test after feeling poorly. I will be at work as soon as I’m allowed.”
First and foremost, I’m sure like everyone else here on HH, my thoughts are with Mikel and his family and I wish our head coach a speedy return to full health. He’s young and fit, so he should be back in action soon.
The same wishes go out to Callum Hudson-Odoi and his family after he too has tested positive for the virus over the last few hours which means the Chelsea players and staff are now in self-isolation. As are three members of the Leicester City squad which means further players/staff are likely to be effected. Or affected, I always get that one wrong but I don’t really care.
But what about the knock on effect? The people both Mikel and Callum have been mixing with, who then mix with others who then… you get my drift. This Covid-19 virus won’t just stop with Arsenal and Chelsea. There’s West Ham and Everton to consider too who the two sides played last weekend.
Italy gave us the heads up but the FA have been too slow to react. In my opinion anyway. Turnstiles, I know, I’m showing my age, should have been shut long before now. Safety measures too like ‘no touching’ should have been in place ages ago, but even then, I’m not sure such precautions would have been enough.
I know there are many more ‘ordinary’ people who are suffering because of Coronavirus and of course my thoughts are with them too but this is a sports blog so I’m keeping it related to that.
The FA are due to hold an emergency meeting this morning and in my opinion they have little choice but to either suspend fixtures until further notice.
Euros 2020 is on the verge of being postponed for a year, golf tournaments are being cancelled, F1 has been called off indefinitely, rugby fixtures and tennis tournaments have been suspended. Football needs to wake up to what’s going on and stop this virus from spreading any more than it’s likely to outside of the game.
The FA really needs to wake up and smell the gravy because right now they look like an organisation who are putting money before people’s health.
See you in the comments guys.
In Oz, any even attracting crowds of more than 500 have been made illegal, most sporting events will be played behind closed doors etc etc
My little area has just had our first case diagnosed, but I’m ok, plenty of toilet paper here hahahaha
Hey, what can we do but be careful, and get on with life?
Morning all.
Morning Rico,
there is a natural break coming up after the scheduled FA Cup game (presumably that will be postponed too)
They could just postpone all football until the first week in April,and review it nearer the time.
Stay safe.
The FA are playing with peoples lives imo. Not so much the players and coaching staff because they are as far as they know, fit and healthy but elderly fans, family members et etc, they are all at risk.
Morning Limey, yes and no doubt those international fixtures will be postponed. What you suggest makes so much sense. Just hope the FA are thinking the same.
Do they really need Boris to tell them how to do what’s right?
That’s all ‘we’ can do Scott, you’re right but organisations like the FA have to think of the bigger picture. Just like other countries including your own.
Hi Rico and All you recon the FA are slow what about Australia more the point Victoria fans start arriving at 7am for Australian F1 only to be told at 9:30 that todays practise round and F1 weekend cancelled,
The Premiership hierarchy are taking (hiding behind) government and scientific advice that cancelling fixtures will have no beneficial effect.
Since the landscape is changing almost by the minute, the authorities must get a grip and face up to the fact that suspension of all sporting events is inevitable.
At the moment they are gambling with the lives of the general public.
Sue, a few years ago my wife and I visited China, in the major cities, Beijing, Shanghai, Xiang all was well in the markets but when we visited one in the small riverside town of Li it was a different matter. Appalling conditions and a range of the most inedible looking “food” I’ve ever seen.
Hi Geoff, that’s odd because here in the uk, we knew the GP had been cancelled yesterday.
Morning All, thanks for the post Rico.
Bat soup!
I’ll give that a swerve thank you…
I wonder, is there any wildlife left in China?
Football seems like a bit of an irrelevance at this time because if I got what the experts said, as correct , we’ve got 14 more weeks before the virus plateaus, which given my rudimentary maths is sometime in June. Can the Premier League actually finish off this season if that’s true?
Because if that’s true we could still be finishing off this season in August…
Hi yep the told fans Friday morning at 9:30 am that they were cancelling the F! and by that time 2 of the drivers had all ready flew half way home.
It means that Serie A and La Liga are in the same boat and probably why the Bundesliga are playing behind closed doors.
UEFA must be in meltdown, how can they finish the Champions League or the Europa League?
And forget the Euros, that has to be dead in the water.
We were scheduled to have 7 matches in the U.K. including the Semi-Finals and the Final.
Then there’s the U23’s, U18’s, U16’s, all Arsenal games cancelled, with other teams are certain to follow. Good luck in rescheduling that lot…
Nothing to be Positive about I’m afraid.
I wonder if they cancel soccer for 2 month can the play catch up by making each team play 2 matches per week but instead of playing 90 minutes they only play 60 minutes
I can imagine, Cicero. What was reported was live animals mixed with with dead, in filthy conditions, poor hygiene.. and they wonder why things like this start….transferred from animals to humans, yet they still eat them!!
Kev.. I bet numbers are really low… that’s why they’re turning to bats!! Bloody evil sods….
Spot on, Rico… sorry for my rant, but certain things really anger me!!
They should stop all sport.. I was really surprised the premier league darts went ahead last night…
Ha and sport relief is tonight!! 🙄
At last! All fixtures postponed until beginning of April.
I get it Sue, no need to apologise. Animals before humans in my world so I have to button it otherwise I’ll just go into a right old rant.
Kev, I personally believe the season should simply end now and call it void. It’s unfortunate for those fighting for silverware etc but life comes before a round ball. Or any ball etc for that matter..
Everton and Bournemouth have players in self isolation now…
Sue, it’s really down to the Chinese government to sort out public hygiene, but they obviously don’t care, if the Chinese want to do something, they do it, no Unions or opposition, it’s gets done, so it’s down to the Chinese Communist Party to sort it out, they’ve been in power long enough so there’s no excuse…
The Chinese are quite a regimented society, they have to be to keep order as there are so many of them.
If they started a public hygiene campaign in schools it would gradually improve things, but they’ve been living the way they have since the days of Gengis Khan…
I get what you’re saying Rico, but the lawyers would be all over it, law suits flying all over the place, it would be carnage.
I think we should finish the season, even if it means playing behind closed doors, then have a short break and then go straight into the next season, forget the League Cup next season and maybe forget internationals – although that’ll never happen, but it should…
The players are going to get plenty of rest over the next few weeks and most players keep themselves fit and do some training during the summer anyway.
The transfer window will be problematic, but the clubs will just have to deal with it…
TV companies aren’t going to be happy with no football to transmit for a couple of months that’s why I can see games going ahead behind closed doors.
Sponsors won’t be happy either, but the lawyers will be licking their lips…
We’ll have no football to talk about for three weeks. I might put HH into self isolation…. 😝
Dont do that Rico how could we all survive without you
Ha ha Rick, I’m sure you’d all survive. 😆
Netflix is good Rick, you can get it for a month or two and then cancel it when the football returns. Maybe it will do us good to have a break from football?
Don’t expect a daily report Rico but if people come back to the site it would be interesting to see what gets discussed.
For starters I was offered a shingles injection Monday , reading up on it it says that very rarely people have a reaction but those that do are liable to flu like symptoms with a high temperature .
Not sure about this at the moment.
Just signed up Kev and binged ‘Stranger’. Very good.
Hi Kev How is all this effecting your trade Good or bad
I’ll probably find something to moan about Potter. Lol
I’d imagine Covid-19 will be on the agenda for a while..
The Yonex 2020 Badminton Championship is going ahead in Birmingham approx 200 players and all of their support staff mainly from South East Asia . I suppose it’s a small time low profile sport and has just crept under the radar but the participants and where they have come from should surely have raised the odd eyebrow.
How ridiculous that is. Should have been cancelled, as should the other sports which seem to have crept through the net.
I am lucky to work from home.I haven’t noticed the roads less busy, maybe Kev has noticed,less Airport jobs presumably.
I went out for a meal with a group of friends last night,it was noticeably a lot quieter than normal – the impact on small business is devastating.
Mind you my friend who gets the train into London everyday says the trains are still busy – that was yesterday, things are changing fast.
Another top post Rico and it seems I am on the same wave length as you and Sue in that it is animals before most humans for me.
I have self isolated myself as I bought a pair of Mikels used Y-Fronts on Ebay to put on my Mikel blow up doll in my shrine to him. Scott has probably self isolated aswell as I think he said he has a Dingo he calls Mikel, he loves it so much he takes it Dingo style every night! 😆
It`s not just all the sports being cancelled, I have had to suspend my Subuteo league, my 1971 Arsenal team have had to self isolate as I dont want anymore casualties, I`ve already lost Geordie Armstrong, he had to be creamted along with John Roberts!…….I made a little ashes urn for them. I like to keep it realistic and life like, I even made a little jail just to make Peter Storey feel at home!
Wife went to doctors today and the nurse confided in her and said that there are no cases in our area and said that one of the Doctors conspiracy theory is that the virus is man made and made to get rid of the elderly people!
I cant see the season starting up again on the 3rd of April, that the nearest it can happen, but with the virus expected to peak by June(if we believe them!) there will be more cases leading upto June, the league may have to write this season off and Scousers should not be given any title just because they were top !………..it will be a shame for them and we have to have pity and sympathise for them( does it come across that I`m being sincere ? hahaha), but although that would be terrible, it would on the other hand be great news for any team that was destined to be relegated as that should not happen either. Start a fresh next season and hopefully Liverpool will carry on and maybe deservedly win the league next season!…………………do I still sound sincere?
Hopefully the government will put together a package to help the small businesses. Local councils could help too by deferring rent etc.
I do like the breaking news that the RB Leipzig goalie who played against Spuds on Tueday night has contacted the virus, but Spud players have been told not to self isolate as they didn`t get anywhere near him!
It’s having an adverse effect Rick as nobody is going out, it’s Friday and it’s dead.
To be expected I guess but I fear that we’re heading towards a worldwide recession, so hang on to your hat mate.
Thanks Lc. What a ridiculous suggestion that nurse has made. Unless it’s another joke within your comment. If so, ignore my view.
I can’t see football kicking off again in April, not when the peak is predicted for May.
No joke Rico, that was the Doctors opinion. Maybe them conspiracy`s are only on fictional tv programmes and not in real life, but let me ask you or anyone this…………………..do you think the government are telling us the whole story, what is happening at the moment is unheard of, apart from the last world war (and lets not forget the “ridiculous” attrocities the Nazis did to the jews which you wouldn`t want to believe at the time) has there ever been such a time as now……………..everything coming to a halt………borders closing……….panic buying etc etc
The experts say that only 1% will have this virus hard, most will have just cold conditions and lots wont even know they had it, so if that is the case why all the comotion !…………………….the powers that be are holding something back……………………………if we did not have a flu vacination and it was the flu that was the new virus would this be the case aswell in whats happenning now?.
The government lie through their teeth we all know it, before this happened they were in the last few years pleading poverty, now all of a sudden they have found a magic money tree !……………….the old , the poor and the impoverised will suffer as usual and the pompous rich ponces will live in luxury as normal!
The truth is out there!………………………………..think that was from The X Files ! hahaha
Bloody hell Le Coq, will your subbuteo players ever see the light of day again??!! And are you sure those y fronts were for your blow up doll?! 😂
Rico.. what else are you planning on watching on Netflix?
Dead to me, You, Friday Night Dinner, Stranger Things all get a huge thumbs up from me!
The Premiership authorities have finally come to their senses and suspended the league, but they have only kicked the can down the road and seem to be hoping for a miracle to occur and wipe out the virus. Not much chance of that!
The likeliest option is that UEFA will postpone the EURO 2020 competition in the hope that sufficient time will become available to allow the National Leagues, Europa League and Champions League to run their courses.
However, this will might well mean that some players will reach the end of their contracts before the end of the season. Not a good situation to be in for the clubs or the players.
Took a nice walk this morning, six miles around Reepham, and finished at The Kings Arms. Always a busy pub with good food, today we arrived at the peak time and were able to select which table we wanted, the one in front of the log fire, and there were only two or three other tables occupied. It was very quiet in the town with plenty of empty parking places in the market square.
In which case Lc, it’s a cruel thing to suggest, dangerous too I think.
As for government conspiracies, I think a football blog is perhaps not the the best place for that kind of discussion. I’m staying out of that in case big brother is reading.
Thanks Sue. As long as they’re not too gruesome. Lol
Yes, Stranger Things is a definate one to watch, but Hunters on Amazon is the Mutts Nuts imo.
Yes they are Sue!, although my Parrott is making admiring glances at them! 😆
I’ll keep that one in mind Lc, thanks. I have Prime too. Lol
Turn the tele off and read a good book. 😉
Cicero, I’m sure the issue of contracts will be resolved should the fixtures start up again. Should be pretty simple to do as the same will apply to all clubs I’d have thought, just end the contracts when the season ends.
Hahahaha Le Coq!!!
MOTD tomorrow night is being replaced with…. drum roll……..Mrs Brown’s boys…..omg what a load of pony!! I guess we’ll have to get used to that.
You won’t have to watch those programmes from behind the sofa, Rico 😀
‘A quiet place’ is on there now, that’s a great film. Part 2 was due at the cinema next week, but is being put back to a later date now…….
Weird isn’t it, all those every day things we’re so used to… all gone for the foreseeable….
That’s for nighttime Cicero. Lol
Phew Sue. Lol
Night guys…
Time to dig out a few DVD’s..,
Mrs Browns Boys!
Holiday camp entertainment…
Evening All, thanks Rico another great post.
I’m no lover of any politicians, but I think it’s a bit unfair having a dig at the moment. It’s the whole world in trouble and i wouldn’t like the job of trying to sort it out. I’m actually pleased they said they are going to borrow more money,and the NHS will get whatever it needs.
Anyway less of that……..Mikel is already feeling better ! He should get loads of time to train the boys up before we start again.
Goodnight Rico….
And maybe a few more, Kev!!
This break could be months not weeks and even next season might not start on time, such a gap!……………….life without football will be like Spuds trophy cabinet…………………..empty!
China and China alone are to blame for this, so I can’t hold anything against politicians atm
👍 Scott.
I can’t believe that some games in the national leagues are going ahead today….
New post up now
Morning all.