Klopp: We have no power over protocols relating to International duty

[TLW]

Jurgen Klopp will spend the next few weeks with fingers crossed hoping his players return fit and healthy after this next round of international fixtures.

 

The German is known across the Football landscape for speaking out about player welfare issues such as the increasing issue of fixture congestion and currently the distinct possibility of contracting COVID-19.

 

While Klopp would never actively deprive a player the honour of his playing for his country, he is rightly concerned about the unwillingness of international confederations to share information about their own COVID protocols. 

 

He spoke about his frustration about being kept in the dark (per the Mirror).

 

“For us it feels safer when we are all together here at the training ground. We have had some cases, not many but some – though not for a while which is good – but it can happen because of the time we are living in.

 

“But the problem when they go on international duty is we have no power.

 

"We tried to find out what all the protocols are with all the different FAs but it’s up to those individual FAs to answer or not.

 

“They don’t have to – and FIFA so far is not really involved in that.

 

“It would be a massive help that if you don’t get a reply from an FA, for example, then you don’t send the player. And then I’m certain you would get 100 per cent replies and you’d know that the protocols are all fine.

 

 

One of the players of greatest concern for Klopp is Sadio Mane who along with his Senegal teammates have to travel to Guinea-Bissau , a nation which is currently a Covid hotspot and which the UK government have advised that only essential travel should be made to.

 

The likes of Roberto Firmino and Alisson have home qualifying games against Venezuela and Uruguay which means more long haul flights in the middle of an already congested calendar.

 

And the fact that the clubs themselves have to organise private jets to get their players home in a timely manner is also something that irritates Klopp.

 

“I am concerned not just about Covid but also that playing three games in nine days is massive,”.

 

“And if you would see our travel plans for bringing our players home, well...

 

“There is a lot that the clubs have to do for themselves because nobody is involved in that as well. So it is not my favourite time of the year at all.”

 

 

 

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[Elite]

Ridiculous that all international football hasn't been cancelled.

[Tj hooker]

Utterly ridiculous having players fly around the world in a middle of a pandemic,  I hate International football 

[dockers_strike]

Just say no to internationals. The 'elite' clubs have an opportunity here to rail against FIFA but unfortunately look like they are just going to let it pass. FIFA doesnt give a fuck about the players welfare or the clubs.

[an tha]

Fuck international football.

 

We need to be all over this rule mentioned here....

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54858614

 

Article says:

 

"World governing body Fifa's rules, issued at the start of the pandemic, allow clubs to withdraw players from international duty if there is a risk of coronavirus infection."

 

It also mentions our game against Midget Land - surely there are rules in place that see us not have to be affected because of it?

[sir roger]

Its easy for us to say this , but our players love playing for their countries and there are also the potential negatives in their homelands for them and their families if they pull out.  I agree that the covid situation means that FIFA should halt jnternationals at present but realistically they are run with only dollar signs in mind.

[an tha]

Fuck the international shite - looks like this could be serious stuff for our game in European Cup v Midget Land.

 

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/liverpool-champions-league-denmark-coronavirus-19243676