FAI MEDICAL DIRECTOR Dr Alan Byrne backed the majority of Irish footballers’ call for testing before organised training and competition resumes.
A PFAI survey last week reported that 92% of players were in favour of undergoing Covid-19 tests before returning to training and playing in the Airtricity League.
Dr Byrne admits that there is no certainty over when football can return to our fields, but he is willing to plan around 8 June, when the government is scheduled to enact phase 2 of easing restrictions. That phase allows for team training in small groups where social distance can be maintained.
While Dr Byrne, who sits on the government’s new Return to Sport expert panel, adds that it will likely not be feasible to offer widespread tests to all players, having the evidence during initial tentative steps could be invaluable.
“That’s a really important bit of information, to test players two weeks before they return to training and one week,” Dr Byrne said in a video released by the FAI this evening.
“Because if they return to training hastily and someone was asymptomatic but positive. we wouldn’t know when we start into a group format of training whether the (positive but asymptomatic) player joined the training and was responsible for passing it on.”
That level of testing, Dr Byrne says, would build a helpful data set while also giving peace of mind to players, support staff and their families.
“What we are attempting to do is return football at an acceptable risk, because it’s important for the players and staff that work in football. Then you expand it out and say: ‘the risk is x. perhaps no more risky than going to the supermarket, the golf club or going out to social distance in a restaurant’.
“We all have opinions, but just because we have an opinion doesn’t mean it’s true. We have to prove to ourselves and to people who participate in our game that it is safe to return.”
Doesn’t really help himself in fairness.
@Matthew Thompson: you beat me to it.
@Matthew Thompson: he should hire someone to apolagise for him really…
@Matthew Thompson: spot on
@Matthew Thompson: It was fairly witty and quite brilliant, but ye obviouslyy have no humour, get over yourselves geez
@Newnob: he’s a tool.
@Matthew Thompson: he is who he is !
@Tim Oconnell: Sinn Fein TD lol
@Newnob:
Well he should not be like a baby when he gets “teased” by the fans every year then
@Newnob: not my kind of comedy
@Matthew Thompson: always said he was brain dead, regardless of his political ideals.. Living in the past and passing it onto his poor kids too.. Sad
@Tim Oconnell: yep a tool
@Fab John: “teased”?, he gets death threats to himself and his family. A little more than teasing.
@Newnob: Witty? Would you stop lad. He’s about as sharp as a bowling ball!
I thought it was funny
@Darragh Tomás Mac Amhlaoibh: Same here Daz
@Mossy: funny for us. But with the stance he rightly took across the pond it just does him no favours
@Darragh Tomás Mac Amhlaoibh: can’t you see it makes him as dumb as the people in the stands around England?
@Mossy: me too..!
@Darragh Tomás Mac Amhlaoibh: so funny i laughed my knee caps off..
And then he wonders why he gets abuse. Good man Jim. Smart boy.
@James Elphick: Ah James…grow up.
@Henry Porter: Good lad. Say the same to yourself and him when he moans about the abuse he gets.
@James Elphick: go back into your cave, Hun
@Robc: Good one lad. You can have your drink now.
Maybe wasn’t the smartest thing to post
@InOleWeTrust: and where did he get the balaclava if it was a spur of the moment joke?
@Phil Mc Donald: Maby he goes skiing or snowboarding and has it for under his helmet.
It was pretty funny tbf
Maybe people should get a sense of humour and lighten up
You must be joking,a balaclava clad provo coming at you must have been totally hilarious….that McClean needs to wake up .
@Gerry Campbell: he’s wearing loyalist blue. It’s proper funny and you if you can’t laugh at some of the issues that plaque where you’re from, well you might as well give up on life
@Gerry Campbell: He is obviously dressed as a loyalist
@Garreth mc mahon: laughter is the best medicine. Especially these days
@Newnob: ah shur tiss grand so?
@Gerry Campbell: and in front of his kids…
@Johnsinker: well I doubt the history lesson is for the pfa.
Eejit
@Cortiss: Sooooooo Stupid!
If an English fella playing in league of Ireland wore black n tan uniform in the same picture we’d be goin crazy and he’d be on the next boat back.
@David Wells: ski masks were far from exclusively republican militants usage!!!!!
If he intended it as satire, it’s an hilarious play on the grief he gets. I would be doubtful it was that thought out though and is likely just a joke that is funny enough in an Irish bantery way but not appropriate given his profile on this issue and the fact that he’s over “taking the Queen’s shilling”. The Poppy brigade will be all over this.
@SomeGuy: Hilarious? Really? He cries and moans when he gets abuse. Do you think he finds that hilarious?
@James Elphick: yes, I found it funny. No, he doesnt deserve death threats
@ConPhoto: paying homage to terrorism is funny?
@SFAnkleTapper: yes
@SomeGuy: yeah Arlene and Dodd’s will be hopping mad,Christ Arlene with the fuming face on her like a bulldogs slapped arse to her ha:-)
@SFAnkleTapper: certainly not.
@SFAnkleTapper: Like the RIC commemorations?
@Newnob: this article is about MC clean
@FecklessBear: hope it visits your family soon so you can have a great laugh.
@Aaron Jones: maybe it will bring back memories of when she was a child and the bomb placed on her school bus went off by those lads he’s laughing about. Might turn most of us a little sour.
It is actually funny, silly move, but funny
@Ciarán Ó Dubhda:
Its really not
@Mary N. Cooke: Nah , it was funny
@Mary N. Cooke:
Yes it is.
@Cormac Laffan: he could picked any other symbol of the Irish struggle for independence (just for the joke) and he opts for a balaclava. Not wise.
@Mary N. Cooke: strongly disagree it’s funny
@MickN: no just stupid
He made a mistake . Didn’t any of you ever make a mistake ? In light of what is going on in the world it’s a tiny thing . Get over yourselves !
@Mary Mc Carthy: Ahhhh will you come out of it.
@Mary Mc Carthy: The poor lad is an awful attention seeker. Can’t remember the last time a player of his limited ability made so many headlines. I blame the parents.
Must have no social media accounts left at this rate.
I’m sure all the families of innocent civilians murdered by terrorists wouldn’t find this funny people like McLean seem intent on dragging us back into the past we need to look forward not back if he wants to teach his kids about Irish history That’s great but there’s no need to turn it into a publicity stunt he will get more abuse for this and rightly so
He’s a big dope. He can’t keep yakking on a about sectarianism and racism in the stands as he pulls these stunts.
Very funny isn’t it. Imagine you have met with the real thing. Very funny isn’t it.
What a clown. Roll on ,November until he plays the racist card now
@Luther Cooper: *sectarian
Chap in his gaff trying to entertain his children and yes that unfortunately is a part of irish history least he was trying to teach them something
@Ian O’Rourke: Jesus. You could you do with some education if you think this is ok.
@James Elphick: Spell error, come in hit me with it. Lol.
@Ian O’Rourke: The joke is hardly for the entertainment of his kids.
@Ian O’Rourke: this is not entertainment or education (of ethical standards).
As Philip Larkin ones said, ‘man hands on misery to man’
@Ian O’Rourke: so why did he post it. That’s got nothing to do with entertaining his children. It was pure attention grabbing.
I think that at where we as a country are at and the world generally at present, seems a bit of a vacancy there. Lights on …..
@Mary N. Cooke: grammer check…
@Ciarán Ó Dubhda: *Grammar* (sigh emoji)
@Bingobango: That was tragic
@Bingobango: being sarcastic
@Ciarán Ó Dubhda: no you weren’t
@Ciarán Ó Dubhda: Good one champ.
@K W: OK I wasn’t
Jeeeeez… go have some class.
I used to defend him against all the uneducated bigots of the English game but why bother anymore when he does that. I mean, how inappropriate for any father to expose their children to that sight…. all respect gone
I’d say Stoke are delighted to save a bit of dosh. Silly stunt!
In these times of home schooling aren’t we all wearing balaclavas while teaching our kids about de Brits??? Serious lack of cop on with wee jimmy
All the muppet has done is invited a whole lot more abuse from the terraces. Jesus man, why give them ammunition?
If he put as much time and effort into improving his game than his social media and all this kind of stuff he’d be a decent player.Have always backed him in the poppy stance but this is just lowering himself to the level of those who abuse him,but if humor but I don’t think he’s bright enough to look at the wider picture.
Ah Jaysus……
Today’s lesson children don’t cover yourself in manky tats.
I have no problem with it if it was most other players. But this from an eejit who gives out every year about his treatment for not wearing the poppy
At least his daughter is eating an apple, not an orange,barsteward.
All his history and playing for uk football lol
Stephen Ireland was bad enough but this takes the biscuit.
What a moron
How stupid can somebody be and he has lost all his high moral ground on the poppy issue.
Won’t be surprised to see him renting some rooms to give free to nurses fighting the virus or homing more homeless
@Mark Smith: If Ireland did this more people would be giving out.As an Ireland fan I want to see him making headlines for his performances on the football pitch and his charitable donations,nothing else.
Clown
All that’s missing is the Nike logo on the balaclava!!
Witless comment! He obviously has learned nothing .
It was funny. All the snowflakes on here. If you don’t like it scroll on by. As for posting it in the first place, it was an error. He knows there are people out there vying for his blood. Within minutes of this going up an ardent Rangers supporter sent it to my Husband, with the caption, he’s @#$%^& up now.
@LUCY Thomas: sounds like that Rangers fan is politically and historically aware.
@LUCY Thomas: What are you on about? You’re contradicting it all. It was funny? Do you think he finds it funny when he gets abused and wines about it, or it that all just fun as well? Is he also a snowflake for winging about the abuse?
Dose, he now deserves what’s he gets. No support for him anymore.
Haha mad fkr
Thought it was funny but fairly hypocritical to cry foul
T.A.L.
Ass
Poor James doesn’t have two brain cells to rub together. Complete idiot.
Lack of education… I pity the kids
admit oI had a good chuckle at it
@Robert O’H: Must admit I had a good chuckle from it*