Inverness Caledonian Thistle manager John Robertson fears SFA priority is television over virus concerns
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Caley Thistle manager John Robertson says he is worried that Championship clubs are being forced to play on solely to fulfil television obligations.
On Monday, the Scottish FA announced that all tiers of men’s football below the Premiership and Championship would be suspended until the end of January, with their status past that point to be reviewed later in the month.
Caley Thistle are one of the lucky 22 clubs who are being allowed to continue their season, but Robertson has concerns that it is for the wrong reasons.
He cited the Scottish FA statement earlier this week, which stated that the move was “in the interests of public health, taking cognisance of the government’s wish to reduce travel and possible contact with others whilst safeguarding commercial broadcasting contracts that sustain the professional game,” as a sign that money drove the decision.
“While I’m delighted from a football perspective that the Championship is continuing, what really annoyed me - and made me fearful - was the statement from the SFA,” Robertson explained.
“If you look at it, the second part says they wanted to continue to protect their TV and commercial contracts.
“That was a strange thing to put out there. It made me think that the Championship and Premiership were only playing on because of the TV deals, which is wrong.
“I’m sorry but if they’re putting TV deals before players’ welfare and lives, as well as the huge support staff behind clubs, then that can’t be right. It doesn’t sit easy with me.
“What reason was there not to stop the Championship for three weeks as well if they were stopping the two other non-tested leagues? It’s the TV rights. I was happy with the statement until that line.
“In other words, we are carrying on because we are on TV and the Championship has Friday night games.”
It is a serious source of concern for Robertson, who has watched on as cases all over the country rise, and as he compares the situation to March of last year he is left with a lot of questions about why football is continuing.
“We’re hearing it is worse now in terms of cases and deaths than it has ever been,” he said.
“Everybody was shut down in March, but not everybody is being shut down now.
“They say watching football is good for the country’s well-being and keeps spirits up, which is great.
“But from a humane perspective, why should football players be the Guinea pigs? Why should we have to travel all over the country at a time when a very quick-spreading and easily spreading virus is at large?
“It is just very strange, when you weigh up the football aspect of it, you say ‘yes, that’s fine - testing - we’ll get on with it’, but from a humane perspective, I’m perplexed by the fact the virus is the worst it has ever been.
“We’ve had more deaths than we’ve ever had, yet football has been asked to carry on.”
