AHEAD OF THE GAME: Broadcast rivals furious as Premier League’s post-match manager TV interviews are moved inside following foul-mouthed taunts at Nuno Espirito Santo after the north London derby
- Nuno Espirito Santo’s post-match interview was abandoned due to fan taunts
- The debacle led Premier League to move interviews from pitchside to indoors
- Leeds to explore possibility of obtaining Covid booster jabs for Marcelo Bielsa
- EFL clubs could be due to resume weekly Covid tests due to rule changes
Nuno Espirito Santo’s post-match interview following Tottenham’s derby defeat last Sunday was abandoned when he was repeatedly called a c*** by Arsenal fans at the Emirates Stadium.
Sky Sports producers took a quick decision that, given the volume of the abuse, they could not risk letting such language be broadcast, giving Nuno permission to return down the tunnel before coming back to complete his interview after supporters had cleared the stadium.
Nuno’s Arsenal debacle led to the Premier League moving post-match interviews from pitchside from this weekend, although the return of indoor interview rooms will be limited to whichever channel is broadcasting the match live — much to the annoyance of other TV and radio stations.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s interview had to be pulled as he received abuse from supporters
TV interviews have moved back indoors as a result of the abuse, angering radio stations
LEEDS SEEK COVID BOOSTERS FOR OLDER COACHES, INCLUDING BIELSA
Leeds are exploring the possibility of obtaining Covid booster jabs for the older members of their coaching staff, including manager Marcelo Bielsa.
The Government’s booster programme began a fortnight ago with over 1.5million elderly people invited for their third jab, with the main qualification being age and a six-month interval since the second inoculation.
As a 66-year-old Bielsa qualifies for a booster but Leeds are conscious of not jumping the queue and will only obtain one if there is excess local supply.
EFL FACE WEEKLY TESTS IF OUTDOOR VENUES FACE CERTIFICATION
EFL clubs will have to resume weekly Covid-19 testing if the Government introduce their Plan B of mandatory certification at all outdoor venues with capacities of more than 4,000. Under current proposals, staff at the venues, including footballers and all professional athletes, will be exempt from compulsory certification, but any unvaccinated employees will be required to produce regular negative tests in order to go to work.
The majority of EFL clubs scrapped weekly testing last summer as Covid restrictions eased and are currently only testing players who show symptoms of the virus.
But with around one-third of players in the lower divisions yet to be fully vaccinated, testing may have to be scaled up later in the winter.
Over 70 per cent of EFL players have received at least one dose of vaccine but clubs have stepped up attempts to raise that figure with information on players’ WhatsApp groups and pop-up vaccine centres at training grounds.
STILL NO FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR FIFA’S WORLD CUP SHAKE UP
FIFA’s ambitious timetable for the revolutionary step of having a biennial World Cup is raising eyebrows throughout the footballing world, given they have yet to complete a feasibility study into what would be a seismic change.
President Gianni Infantino said this week that he wants an EGM to vote on the proposal in December, but gave few details on the progress of the feasibility study which began in May.
FIFA are still yet to publish the feasibility study they ordered for World Cups every two years
ASPIRING ROCK STARS HOPE FOR BIG BREAK FROM WOLVES RECORD LABEL
Wolves are receiving hundreds of demos every day from aspiring pop and rock stars after launching their own record label last month. The club have partnered with Warner Music to form Wolves Records, the first label launched by a UK football club, although judging by early feedback on the first submissions, head of label Ricky Hill has yet to unearth the Black Country’s next Robert Plant.
RIGG AGREES BURNLEY EXIT DEAL AND SHELVES LEGAL ACTION AGAINST CLUB
Burnley have reached a financial settlement with former technical director Mike Rigg, who left Turf Moor after three years last month. Rigg had been contemplating taking legal action against the club after being placed on gardening leave against his will earlier in the summer, but has now agreed a compensation package. Rigg’s departure was one of numerous backroom changes made by new chairman Alan Pace this summer, with five other senior staff members also leaving the club, including chief executive Neil Hart and Academy boss Jon Pepper.
