Premier League Alters Midweek Schedule After Rash of COVID
- by Cecil Buchanan
- in Sports
- — Jan 12, 2021
Parker, whose Fulham wide were next set to take on Chelsea on Friday evening, were only told on Monday morning that they would now be facing Tottenham on Wednesday.
He added: "The possibility of playing Spurs on Wednesday came on Saturday".
And he labelled the decision to rearrange the top-flight clash as "scandalous".
The midfielder has been linked with a loan move to Valencia, but Mourinho says that he remains part of his plans.
"Following Aston Villa's request to rearrange the fixture, and due to the number of players and staff who have either tested positive for COVID-19 or have been placed in isolation by the club, the Premier League had no other option than to reschedule the game".
More news: Nick Saban explained DeVonta Smith’s finger injuryFulham beat Queens Park Rangers in the FA Cup third round on Saturday and Parker said his team selection for that game might have changed had he known they faced Jose Mourinho's high-flying Tottenham side a few days later.
But with Tottenham still in all four competitions - and there European involvement to recommence next month - there is major concern from the Premier League that they will face an unmanageable fixture backlog as the season enters its closing weeks.
Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho has dismissed Fulham's complaints about the staging of this week's Premier League game.
"Yeah", he replied. "Nobody told me that I'm not going to play so [on Monday morning] we start to prepare for that game, and the same Tuesday unless somebody tells us different".
"We'll just go with what the Government and Premier League have to say and, if it's the case to carry on, we'll carry on".
More news: Paine apologises for Sydney behaviourSpurs could face Fulham instead of Aston Villa this week due to the Birmingham-based club's Covid-19 outbreak as EPL looks to rearrange. That is disappointing. To have a game agreed at 48 hours notice... "I accept we have to play the game, but it's the notice".
"The club has been in dialogue with the Premier League and Public Health England since the training ground was closed last Thursday following a significant Covid-19 outbreak among first team players and staff." the club said.
"What do I have to say to stop with this talk?" said Mourinho.
Expanding on his comments, Mourinho said: 'When I was coaching the Under 13 and Under 15 teams 30 years ago, or something like that, sometimes we got to the game at 9.30am and the opponent was not there.
'I grew up with these situations and was very frustrated for everyone, especially for the kids who you want to play football and who don't play football, and you only know in the last minutes.
More news: World Health Organization investigating "all theories" on COVID origin - RN Breakfast
