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Orient to forfeit game because of covid?


Midred

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Reported that a number of Orient players tested positive for covid after a recent game which may cause them to forfeit their cup game with Spurs. Fair enough -  but is this going to be more of a problem with smaller clubs and squads or would the EFL demand that a "big" club also forfeit their game under similar circumstances? 

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8 minutes ago, Midred said:

Reported that a number of Orient players tested positive for covid after a recent game which may cause them to forfeit their cup game with Spurs. Fair enough -  but is this going to be more of a problem with smaller clubs and squads or would the EFL demand that a "big" club also forfeit their game under similar circumstances? 

Yes, because the guidelines were already set out.

These are the initial tests so possible all the players will be OK?

As something similar Leicester rugby were awarded their quarter final in the Europena Challenge Cup against Castres, as the French side had the same problems

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I do think its harsh that the tie would be given to Spurs effectively on the basis that its Spurs who have the congested fixture list, round 4 is  due to be the week after but round 5 isn't until December, its Spurs' involvement in Europe which makes it hard to fit an alternate date. 2 EFL clubs and it probably would be delayed.

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7 hours ago, phantom said:

Interesting hearing the Orient Chairman being interviewed just now, saying he expects the game to be off tonight, but he believes the game will be postponed and not cancelled

Well to be fair, teams like Spurs should have a big enough squad to be able to play at least 5/6 first team players, and a few fringe players, with a few youth players on the bench.

Even if it means one Spurs side plays Monday, the Orient game is Tuesday, and the next game is Thursday, they should be able to cope. Clubs like Orient need competitions like this for the extra revenue.

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9 hours ago, Taz said:

Well to be fair, teams like Spurs should have a big enough squad to be able to play at least 5/6 first team players, and a few fringe players, with a few youth players on the bench.

Even if it means one Spurs side plays Monday, the Orient game is Tuesday, and the next game is Thursday, they should be able to cope. Clubs like Orient need competitions like this for the extra revenue.

Sorry I'm I missing something. But how do Orient make revenue with no crowd present?

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I was interested to read this article here:  https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54248560

I'm surprised that EFL clubs no longer have to have covid testing

 

Leyton Orient's chairman says they "can't be punished" after Tuesday's Carabao Cup tie against Tottenham was called off because a number of O's players have coronavirus.

Several of the squad tested positive after Saturday's draw with Mansfield.

This season, English Football League clubs do not have to do mandatory coronavirus tests on players and staff.

"If I was doing this again I would not do the testing," Orient chairman Mark Travis told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"This is an incentive not to test and that is bad for football and bad for health and safety."

League Two side Orient have been doing medical questionnaires every morning and said they would pay for testing to be done before Tuesday's cup tie, but Premier League opponents Spurs offered to cover the cost.

"That's why we can't be punished over this," Travis added. "People should be incentivised to take the test, especially when Premier League clubs with their resources give us the opportunity to have all our players tested."

Discussions are ongoing over the implications of not holding the third-round match on Tuesday, with a further update to be provided in due course.

Tottenham are in action in the Europa League on Thursday.

The decision to call off the match was announced two hours before the scheduled 18:00 BST kick-off at the Breyer Group Stadium.

Orient shut down their east London home and training ground after receiving the positive results following their league match against the Stags at the weekend, and held discussions with Public Health England about whether any further action needed to be taken.

 

This season, English Football League (EFL) clubs do not have to carry out mandatory coronavirus testing of their players and staff.

"Leyton Orient, the EFL and the relevant authorities are conducting a thorough review of the club's Covid-19 secure procedures with the view to reopening the stadium and training ground as soon as possible," a statement said.

There is little room to rearrange the tie, with the fourth round of the EFL Cup scheduled to take place next week.

Last week's draw handed Orient or Spurs a home tie against Chelsea or Barnsley.

Tottenham face Shkendija in the third qualifying round of the Europa League in North Macedonia on Thursday and, if they progress, the north London club will have a play-off match to qualify for the group stage seven days later.

Tuesday's match was set to be the first competitive meeting between Orient and Tottenham since January 2001.

Spurs had previously announced they would donate their match shirts to the foundation set up in memory of their former player Justin Edinburgh.

Edinburgh was manager at Orient when he died at the age of 49 after suffering a cardiac arrest in June 2019.

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Spurs handed a bye into the fourth round:

 

Carabao Cup: Tottenham handed bye into fourth round after Leyton Orient tie called off

Jose Mourinho Jose Mourinho's side will have played four times in 10 days between Thursday's win at North Macedonia club Shkendija and 4 October's Premier League trip to Manchester United

Tottenham have been given a bye into the Carabao Cup fourth round after their tie with Leyton Orient was called off when a number of Orient's players tested positive for Covid-19.

The English Football League decided the League Two club must forfeit the tie having been unable to play the fixture, in line with competition rules.

Orient's league game at Walsall on Saturday has also been postponed.

Spurs will now face top-flight rivals Chelsea in the last 16 on Tuesday.

It will be sandwiched between their home Premier League game against Newcastle on Sunday and a Europa League meeting with Maccabi Haifa on Thursday, 1 October.

BBC Sport has learned that Orient returned 17 positive tests for the virus.

Chairman Nigel Travis told BBC Radio 5 live on Tuesday that they should not be punished for carrying out tests, which were paid for by Spurs.

"This is an incentive not to test and is bad for football and bad for health and safety," he added.

Leyton Orient's Breyer Group Stadium Orient's game with Tottenham was to have been the first competitive meeting between the two clubs since 2001

An EFL statement said: "In accordance with Carabao Cup rules, Tottenham Hotspur have been awarded with a bye and will now play Chelsea on Tuesday, 29 September.

"The round three tie scheduled for Tuesday, 22 September between Leyton Orient and Tottenham Hotspur could not take place following the issue by Waltham Forest Borough Council of an order preventing the match being played as planned.

"The EFL Board has determined that in line with Carabao Cup Rule 5.1, the club was unable to fulfil its obligations to complete the fixture by virtue of the council's order and shall therefore forfeit the tie."

Orient head coach Ross Embleton said: "We're devastated this has happened, but this club is used to setbacks.

"It's really important that players, staff and supporters stick together through tough times."

Tottenham had planned to donate their match shirts to the foundation set up in memory of their former player Justin Edinburgh, who was manager at Orient when he died at the age of 49 in JUne 2019 after suffering a cardiac arrest.

"Everyone at Tottenham Hotspur sends their best wishes to Leyton Orient for the health and wellbeing of their players and staff, their families and all those affected at this time," a club statement said.

"We remain committed to helping to raise funds in aid of the JE3 Foundation, set up in the memory of Justin Edinburgh, and shall update in due course on auctioning match-worn shirts from a different fixture."

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I can't help but feel this is extremely harsh on a club that probably really could do with the income. 

But at the same time, I can't offer any viable alternative. 

I hope this does not lead to a reluctance to be anything less than vigilant against Covid. Does anybody know what the current rules are for clubs on testing/isolating/sharing results? 

How can AC Milan play, for example, after two positive tests but Orient can't? Is it just a numbers thing?

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41 minutes ago, sinenomine said:

How can AC Milan play, for example, after two positive tests but Orient can't? Is it just a numbers thing?

AC Milan had two positive test results, Orient had 17 positive results

Obviously there is no indication these are all footballers, but you'd have to assume that the Orient squad would be massively impacted, and maybe even not enough to play a competitive fixture.

On the basis that Orient have also postponed their league fixture against Walsall this weekend, it would appear to have impacted the playing side more so the backroom staff

41 minutes ago, BritAbroad said:

I think the PL should fund CoVid testing for all EFL clubs for the season. They have more than enough money, and it helps the game.

Playing Devils advocate on this, why should the PL have to fund other clubs?

The EFL already get massive financial support from the PL, any support in this situation should surely come from the FA, or the PFA (Nobody knows what they ever do)

39 minutes ago, walnutroof said:

As Tottenham were playing in Europe last night they’d have played the reserves/kids against orient so don’t see why this tie can’t be rescheduled rather than penalising the small guy, it wouldn’t have happened had it been the other way round 

It's nonsense to say the same wouldn't have happened if it was the other way around

Spurs have a much bigger pool of players to choose from so wouldn't have been an issue

The clubs were aware of the tight window of when games need to be played, and the impact if this didn't happen

The FA Cup is running the same way that matches have to be played within a short window, and the same outcome will occur

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On 25/09/2020 at 08:47, phantom said:

Playing Devils advocate on this, why should the PL have to fund other clubs?

The EFL already get massive financial support from the PL, any support in this situation should surely come from the FA, or the PFA (Nobody knows what they ever do)

They shouldn't have to, but given the Covid situation, the fact that it's gonna take longer to get crowds back, it's gonna be in the interests of PL clubs to send money to L1 and L2 to ensure the survival of clubs, and in the case of CoVid testing protect their own players. I have know idea how much money the the FA or PFA generate, but the PL get billions in and are possibly in the best situation to help. 

 

Sorry - having thoughts on two different subjects there.

 

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