Tottenham head coach Antonio Conte admits Premier League meeting felt like 'waste of time'

December 23, 2021

Antonio Conte says he felt as though Thursday's meeting with the Premier League was a 'waste of time'.

Player welfare and fixture list congestion were among some of the big concerns of managers and coaches heading into a special meeting with the Premier League on Thursday.

Asked how he felt it went, Tottenham head coach Conte said: "I have to be honest I think that it was a meeting where we tried to speak, and some coaches tried to speak and ask about solutions.

"But I think that everything was decided. And I think yesterday was a wall, and for this reason also I don't want to go into the discussion."

Pressed on whether he felt it was a waste of time, Conte said: "I think so. Because when you have a wall in front of you, you can ask and speak about what you want, but every decision was taken."

Spurs had a Covid-19 outbreak at the club earlier this month which led to three games in all competitions being called off. Conte said he was worried about player fatigue if those who have recovered to play twice in three days.

"It is not easy for us, it is not easy for all the teams to play after only one day, it's not simple. You have to manage the situation very well because of the risk of losing players to injuries," Conte added.

"We have to pay great attention, especially my team. Don't forget we had half our squad (out) with Covid... When you get Covid, then you have to live with this situation for two to three weeks after you are finished with Covid.

"If there is someone that has a bit of fatigue, it will be very important to have a good chat with the players because we have to manage this period."

Conte said the players who were unavailable due to the recent outbreak are all now back in training ahead of the Boxing Day visit of Crystal Palace, with only Cristian Romero and Ryan Sessegnon currently sidelined.

Premier League publishes guidance over fixture postponements

Following calls from managers for transparency over why some matches have been called off and some have not, the Premier League has published guidance to explain its protocols for postponing fixtures.

Clubs have been told they must provide the following information when applying for a game to be postponed:

  • Details of players and staff who have Covid, their vaccination status and - if known - the source of their infections
  • Players and staff unavailable through injury and illness
  • Players on the squad list who are still available, including 'appropriately experienced' U21 players
  • Medical information to verify status of each unavailable player, which will be reviewed by the Premier League's medical advisers

The Premier League will then consider the following factors when deciding whether to grant the request:

  • Impact of Covid infections, injuries, illness and isolation on the squad, plus the number of first-team and 'appropriately experienced' U21 players available
  • Matches will be postponed if a club does not have at least 13 outfield players and a goalkeeper available
  • Status of any Covid outbreak at the club, including the number and source infections, and the proximity to the match
  • Club's ability to safely prepare its players
  • Medical advice over whether there is an unacceptable risk to the health and safety of players and staff by playing the match
  • Advice from UK Health Securities Agency and other public bodies
  • Other exceptional circumstances

Smith: Two games in 48 hours is 'lunacy'

Dean Smith, the Norwich head coach, says it is "lunacy" to expect teams to play two games in 48 hours as clubs continue to be hit by coronavirus outbreaks.

The Canaries' Premier League match at West Ham was called off last weekend because of the on-going Covid-19 issues, with just four of the scheduled 10 top-flight games able to be played as scheduled.

Liverpool's clash with Leeds and Watford's trip to Wolves on Boxing Day have both been postponed.

Norwich are set to host Arsenal on Sunday, and then play Crystal Palace on December 28. Smith, though, believes that is an unreasonable expectation.

"We have some fresh cases, but we have got others coming back. We are not sure how many will miss Boxing Day," he said.

"We are having to push rehab forward and people are breaking down in rehab because of that. It is asking massive questions of everybody's squads at the moment.

"It is lunacy that we are having to play two games in 48 hours and there has got to be a question about the integrity of the competition when teams are playing weakened teams against other teams and it is affecting league positions."

Smith had requested Norwich's previous game against his former club Aston Villa also be called off because of Covid-19 issues and injuries in the squad.

The Norwich boss revealed he felt "it was bordering on negligible" for him having to field the likes of Sam Byram, who was rushed back into action following a lengthy injury lay-off when sent on as an emergency substitute during the 2-0 defeat.

"I think we are in a dangerous situation now, where we are risking the health and welfare of the players," said Smith.

Vieira would not support players' strike

Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira would not support a players' strike, but is concerned over pushing anyone back into action too soon after recovering from coronavirus.

"I don't know if they would be right to do it, the only thing I can tell you is I am against this kind of strike," Vieira said ahead of Palace's trip to Tottenham on Boxing Day.

"What is really important at the moment is the voice of players or managers should be heard a little bit more."

The former Arsenal captain added: "I am not worried about the players' welfare regarding the games during this period because it has been like that for years and years. What I am worried about is the players' welfare regarding Covid.

"I think players coming back from a Covid situation and asking them to play, having not had enough training, is a lot on them. This is what I am worried about."

Rodgers: Festive schedule not good for players

Brendan Rodgers says the congested winter fixture schedule combined with issues caused by coronavirus are negatively impacting the welfare of his Leicester City players.

The midweek defeat at Liverpool in the Carabao Cup quarter-final was the first of four games the Foxes face in the space of 11 days over the festive period, with a trip to Premier League leaders Manchester City coming up on Boxing Day, another test against Jurgen Klopp's side two days later and a home game against Norwich scheduled for New Year's Day.

Leicester have also had to contend with their own Covid problems, with games Tottenham and Everton having been called off due to a number of positive tests within their first-team, leaving Rodgers' squad stretched.

He said: "I think for every coach and manager… this period is particularly busy anyway with a full-strength squad, but to be playing Manchester City on Sunday and then to be playing Liverpool again on Tuesday, it's not good for the players.

"For the welfare and health of them, it is not ideal. Obviously, it has been said that we have to play on for another two weeks and we'll take it from there.

"If that's the case, we just look to be as competitive as we can, like with the game against Liverpool with changes and everything else, but we were competitive and that's how we'll always try to approach it going forward.

"We won't feel sorry for ourselves depending on who is available and who is not, we want to go and be competitive, it is a huge challenge to play the team at the top of the division and with the form that they're in, but it's a challenge we'll embrace."

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