Coronavirus: Shoreham boss Pulling questions whether the SCFL 'have thought hard enough'

Shoreham boss Mark Pulling has question whether the SCFL have 'thought hard enough' about the outcomes of injuries during the current Coronaivirus outbreak.
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Shoreham lost 1-0 to Worthing United at Middle Road on Saturday - a game which saw one of his players being carried off.

And Pulling has said given how stretched the NHS are, it would better if they did not have to worry about footballers.

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He said: "We had an injury today to one of our players he had to be carried off. He may well need to go to hospital for a X-ray tonight on his ankle. We all obviously know that the NHS are stretched at the best of times and by playing today we might have just added to that pressure.

Action from Saturday's game between Shoreham and Worthing United. Picture by Stephen GoodgerAction from Saturday's game between Shoreham and Worthing United. Picture by Stephen Goodger
Action from Saturday's game between Shoreham and Worthing United. Picture by Stephen Goodger

"If even only a handful of the games played today around the county ended up with a ambulance needing to be called out, or as our player needing a possible X-ray, we have added unneeded pressure at this time.

"My question is has the league thought hard enough about these type of outcomes and how that will be looked upon by people from the outside of local football when virtually every other league in the country was suspended.

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"So just purely from this point of view I think fixtures should have been suspended in line with other leagues."

And following the suspension of the professional game and the Isthmian League, Pulling believes the league will be suspended soon and maybe even cancelled.

He said: "I think that eventually the league will be suspended and that the remaining fixtures of the season will eventually be cancelled.

"If this happens I think the season should become void for all leagues from the Premier League all the way down to our league. If that happens I think whenever the next season starts every league should revert back to the starting point from this season 19/20 and do it again.

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"This might be harsh on some teams that were on for winning leagues or for promotion but surely is the fairest way to go about it."

"The biggest problem that will have to be sorted out this that a big planned league pyramid reshuffle was due to happen for the start of next season. With all leagues being suspended and cancelled it’s going to be virtually impossible for this to now be implemented by the FA for the 20/21 season. It would be best if that reshuffle was suspended for a season as well."

And Pulling added: "We play a contact sport players get hot, sweat, breath hard and cough and all this is at close distance to each other. Obviously the risk seems to be there for everyone. I'm sure these are the things that have been taken in to account with regards to why other games have been stopped.

"I think it’s just important that right now people do the right thing and look after themselves, families and everyone else. Football at this moment isn’t as important."