Allardyce wants EPL season suspended due to rise in COVID-19 cases
West Bromwich Albion manager Sam Allardyce called for the Premier League to suspend the season Tuesday, citing the rise of COVID-19 cases among players and staff and the spread of a new coronavirus variant that appears to be more contagious.
"Everyone's safety is more important than anything and when I hear (the) variant virus transmits 70% quicker, we can only do the right thing which would be to have a circuit breaker," Allardyce told reporters, according to The Guardian's Sean Ingle.
"I'm 66 and the last thing I need to do is catch COVID. Probably players will overcome it but it's more difficult for someone like me, so I'm very concerned for myself and football in general. We had one positive this week, it seems to be creeping around no matter how hard we try. If (a circuit breaker) helps, let's do it and let the season run a little longer when we get through it."
Allardyce made the admission hours after the Premier League announced 18 new cases - the most it has reported in any week since the start of the pandemic - and immediately following West Brom's 5-0 loss to Leeds United.
He's just two weeks into the job, having replaced Slaven Bilic with West Brom at the bottom of the table.
The United Kingdom reported more than 53,000 cases on Tuesday, a new daily high in infections that doctors attribute to the fast-spreading variant.
Two Premier League matches have been postponed this season due to outbreaks. Newcastle United's game against Aston Villa, which was originally scheduled for Dec. 4, was moved after several players and staff tested positive within a short span. Manchester City's trip to Everton was then called off Monday because of an increase in cases.
The Premier League said it "continues to have full confidence in its protocols and rules, and the way in which all clubs are implementing them."
However, Wednesday's fixture between Fulham and Tottenham is now in doubt, according to The Athletic's Peter Rutzler. Fulham manager Scott Parker already missed one match after a member of his household tested positive. Earlier Tuesday, Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl was forced to self-isolate for the same reason and missed his team's goalless draw against West Ham United.