Southampton to be without Shane Long for West Ham clash after positive COVID-19 test
Southampton will be without striker Shane Long for their home Premier League game with West Ham United after he tested positive for Covid-19, manager Ralph Hasenhuttl confirmed on Thursday.
Hasenhuttl, like his fellow top-flight managers, says the international breaks are complicated with players travelling back from far flung destinations.
Throw in the risks posed by Covid-19 and preparations for the return to league action are especially challenging.
Ralph Hasenhuttl (left) will be without Shane Long (right) after he tested positive for Covid
Long tested positive last week ahead of Irelandâs World Cup qualifier against Portugal
âWe have a few players who have been travelling a lot. We will have everybody back today except (Shane) Long,â the Austrian said.
WHAT IS FIFAâS FIVE-DAY RULE?FIFA regulations state that, if enforced, a player can be ruled out five days after an international break should their clubs refuse to release them to play for their country.
The rule was designed to prevent clubs from tactically withdrawing their players in order to protect them for upcoming club matches immediately after the international fixtures.
In full, the FIFA rulebook states: âA player who has been called up by his association for one of its representative teams is, unless otherwise agreed by the relevant association, not entitled to play for the club with which he is registered during the period for which he has been released or should have been released pursuant to the provisions of this annexe, plus an additional period of five days.â
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âHe is in self-isolation in the hotel because of a positive Covid test but the rest will arrive today and I will have a look.â
Long tested positive last week ahead of Irelandâs World Cup qualifier against Portugal and was forced to self-isolate.
FIFA invoked a âfive-dayâ restriction on 11 players from playing this weekend after failing to appear for their international sides.
Several Premier League clubs could face sanctions if they play their south American players this weekend having not released them to play internationals in âred listâ countries.
Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City were the hardest hit with Anfield Brazilian trio Alisson, Fabinho and Roberto Firmino, champions Cityâs Ederson and Gabriel Jesus, Chelseaâs Thiago Silva and Manchester Unitedâs Fred all involved.
And Hasenhuttl has sympathy for the clubs that didnât release their Brazilian players.
âItâs a problem to send players all over the world. We have a big problem preparing for the weekend because they are coming back on Thursday so we only have one day and a half,â he said.
âWhen you have to quarantine you must definitely block players from going somewhere because otherwise you lose them for a long time like the Brazilian and Argentinian players.
âYou can imagine for a club what it means. Players want to play internationals for sure and also want to play for a club.â
Fabinho is among the 11 Premier League players banned from featuring this weekend
Thiago Silva will miss Chelseaâs next two matches due to âfive-day restrictionâ being imposed
Source: DailyMail Sports
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