Sky Blue Leo caught up in Covid row
Coventry City defender Leo Ostigard is back at the club after being caught up in a Covid-19 row between the Norwegian Football Federation and its own government at the weekend.
The Norwegian Health Ministry put a stop to the team leaving Oslo for their Uefa Nations League match at Romania, following the news defender Omar Elabdellaoui had tested positive for Covid-19.
The game was cancelled and the health ministry insisted all players go into quarantine.
Video Unavailable
It led to a dispute between the government and the nation’s football authorities.
The good news for the Sky Blues is that Ostigard is clear to play against Birmingham City on Friday.
READ THE FULL STORY HERE:
Injury setback for comeback kid
Mark Robins has described Coventry City’s latest injury setback as “horrendous” for both the player concerned and the team.
The Sky Blues boss has been desperate to get summer signing Julien Dacosta integrated into his squad as quickly as possible after recovering from reconstruction surgery in the summer when he suffered an ankle injury in pre-season training.
The 24-year-old wing-back was drafted in on a free transfer to rival star man Fankaty Dabo, signing a three year deal in early July after joining from French Ligue 2 side, FC Chamois Niort.
The Frenchman was a surprise inclusion on the bench at Nottingham Forest recently despite not having played any games in the Under-23s.
But he’d impressed enough in training for Robins to throw him on for a few minutes at the City Ground, and he was used again at the death at Watford before the international break, during which it was hoped to get more fitness into his legs ahead of Friday’s clash with Birmingham City.
Speaking to CoventryLive, however, the City boss revealed: “Julien has undergone surgery again. It’s horrendous!”
READ THE FULL STORY HERE:
(Image: Coventry City FC)
Rule change coming for number of subs
Championship teams will be allowed to use up to five substitutes later this month, according to a report in the Telegraph.
After the coronavirus pandemic halted football across the UK in March, the season did not return until mid-June, and with fitness concerns coupled with a congested fixture schedule, clubs were permitted to use five substitutes in each match, as opposed to the usual three.
It was announced that the rule change would be scrapped before the 2020/21 season started, but now the Championship is set to re-introduce the increase in substitutions.
READ THE FULL STORY HERE:
Will this put pressure on the Premier League to follow suit, especially following England boss Gareth Southgate’s comments about the limit of three subs?
