Sunderland boss Lee Johnson has insisted he and his players are happy to keep going for now as football considers its options amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The Black Cats head for Arsenal on Tuesday night for what in normal times would be a mouth-watering Carabao Cup quarter-final, but at a time when some managers are calling for a circuit-breaker following a series of Covid-19 outbreaks which seriously affected the weekend programmes in both the Premier and Football Leagues.
Asked about the situation, Johnson said: “It’s really difficult. People who are being affected by it now in hotspots in the country are going to naturally have that feeling and that emotion.
“In the north east, where it hasn’t quite reached us yet, the feeling is we want to continue. Now if that rips my team in half because we have three or four, four or five Covid scenarios, then, absolutely, that would change the mindset.
“What we have got to do is we have got to have the clarity based on each individual team and then if the bigger picture, i.e. Government, decide to change their stance, then of course football has to comply to make sure that those lives are saved and the NHS is looked after.”
The rise of case numbers nationally is a mounting concern and, with the Omicron variant prevalent in London, Johnson admitted his concern for the 5,000 Sunderland fans who are due to make the trip to the Emirates Stadium to support the League One outfit.
He said: “Yes, it’s definitely something that you’re thinking about, but you’ve got to trust the guidelines.
“I’m not a politician, I’m a football manager, but I do want my own fanbase and everybody else in the country and my family and friends to be as safe as possible.
“All we can do is adhere to every protocol that’s in place and then try to turn up and give our 5,000 travelling fans the best show possible.”
In the meantime, the Black Cats boss and his staff will continue to impress the need to adhere to the prevailing protocols on the players as they approach the busy festive programme, with a Zoom meeting planned for Monday evening, but Johnson is also aware of what is at stake on the football front.
He said: “We’ve got to protect the people, but we’ve also got to protect the points.
“Depending on whether we comply with the protocol will depend on whether we get fined or, in a worst case scenario, have to forsake points.
“At the moment, touch wood, we’re dealing with it really well and the doctor and the physios are absolutely on blob with the information that they’re getting, deciphering it and then articulating it back to myself and the players.
“But, personally, my focus is obviously on leading by example and making sure I am moving around the place with my mask on and making sure I’m wiping down surfaces, but at the same time, using the weight of the manager to be able to stop the lads putting themselves in scenarios where it could be detrimental to their overall health.”
