A-League 2020: Melbourne teams in 24-hour hotel hell
Flu-like symptoms forced relocated Melbourne A-League teams in to extra isolation adding to the drama of an already hectic season reshuffle
Western United
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PLAYERS and staff from Victoria‘s three A-League clubs were forced to spend 24 hours in isolation in their Sydney hotel rooms while already in quarantine due to a health scare that also delayed a return to the training paddock.
The Western United, Melbourne Victory and Melbourne City squads, who arrived in NSW on Saturday to start a 14-day quarantine period before the resumptions of their seasons., spent hours in their rooms on Sunday and Monday after a player had flu-like symptoms.
All players and staff were subsequently tested for COVID-19, and could not leave their rooms until all results came back negative.
It led to teams having to wait until Tuesday to train.
Western United chief executive Chris Pehlivanis confirmed the less-than-ideal start to the clubs’ quarantine period.
“That’s precautionary and with everything going on in society at the moment you’ve got to be safe,” Pehlivanis said.
“We got through that. It was 24 hours in our rooms just until everyone was negative.
“We all got tested, we were all negative and off we went again.
“I think that’s going to happen a lot. It’s happened previously in terms of as soon as one boy goes down we pretty much have to lock everything up.
“We missed one training session but it’s not a big deal.”
In the revised A-League schedule released on Wednesday, United don’t play until their July 25 clash against Melbourne Victory.
It’s one of six regular season matches United will cram into a 26-day period, including three in the final week of matches before finals.
“We came into this hub knowing it was going to be challenging. We knew it was going to be a tight schedule,” Pehlivanis said.
“No-one’s shocked, no-one’s surprised. Our boys are all united and ready for the challenge.
“The reality is none of this is anyone’s fault. We’re just working through it.
“Whatever we’re dealt with we’re trying to make it as comfortable and professional as we can.”
The A-League grand final has been pushed back a week to August 30, with the regular season’s remaining 27 matches to be played in a 34-day period starting with Friday night’s Sydney FC-Wellington Phoenix clash at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium.
All but one of those games - Sunday’s match between Brisbane Roar and Adelaide United at Gold Coast ground Cbus Super Stadium – will be played in NSW unless Sydney’s COVID-19 crisis intensifies, which would lead to all matches being moved to Queensland.
Adelaide football director Bruce Djite was disappointed the Reds had been denied the chance to host matches at Coopers Stadium.
“No games in Adelaide’s disappointing but obviously completely out of our hands now that the border restrictions remain in place for NSW,” Djite said.
“We’re used to rolling with the punches now, we’re used to things changing very quickly and we’re very adaptable.
“We’re happy to go to NSW for the moment. Things can change very quickly. To have a back-up … is comforting.”
Originally published as A-League 2020: Melbourne teams in 24-hour hotel hell