[Albion] Will Brighton deny Mac Allister and Alzate's departure for International break?

[Change at Barnham]

Will Brighton deny Alexis Mac Allister and Steven Alzate's return to South America during the international break if selected in March?

Macca's Argentina have World Cup qualifying games v Uruguay and Brazil, and Alzate's Colombia have WC games against Brazil and Paraguay.


Part of an article from David Ornstein in The Athletic:

Growing belief Premier League clubs will clamp down on international travel next month
New COVID-19 variants have already impacted football as countries close their borders to international travel and some European ties in the club competitions have been moved to neutral venues. But this particular issue could become pertinent again ahead of the March international fixtures.
Last week, FIFA extended the exemption that means clubs do not have to release players where there is a mandatory quarantine period of five days or more on their return. And The Athletic has been told there is a growing belief that Premier League clubs have a case for telling FIFA players will not be released next month on a much wider basis.
The UK’s current rules mean anyone returning from a “red list” country, such as Portugal, all of South America and parts of southern Africa, will need to undergo a 10-day quarantine in a hotel. There is no exemption for elite sports stars.
With the likes of Colombia, Brazil and Argentina, for example, involved in World Cup qualifiers, there are concerns that players could travel abroad and then not be allowed back into the UK, leaving them unable to perform the work they are contracted to do. This could impact a host of clubs, including Liverpool (Alisson, Roberto Firmino), Manchester City (Gabriel Jesus) and Everton (James Rodriguez, Richarlison, Allan).
While it has not yet been discussed at Premier League meetings, clubs have raised it privately and there is hope the top-flight clubs’ stance would be backed by the FA.
One Premier League executive added that every club wants to avoid giving themselves a disadvantage this season and so if one club denies permission to travel, they all will. Another club insider told The Athletic they are hoping to know in the next week whether they can pull players out based on travel advice.
There are also serious fears that players could bring back new strains of COVID-19 from international duty — despite many clubs paying for private jets to transport their players, which they fear could prove to be incubators for the virus.

For the full article:
https://theathletic.co.uk/2383850/2021/02/15/ornstein-mourinho-spurs-konsa-villa-england-wolves/

 

[Swansman]

I hope so. Hopefully the players will understand. Gets easier if one of the big clubs makes the decision first though.

 

[Gabbafella]

International football during these times is a stupid idea so yes, I hope the club do say they're not allowed to travel.

 

[Sarisbury Seagull]

Hopefully all clubs will say no and the countries take a view. I doubt it though, I imagine there will be a big fall out. South American FA’s are not known for their rationality. Looks like Ecuador don’t have a fixture so no issue with Caicedo.

International football should have been stopped this season all over the world. It’s a farce it’s been allowed to go ahead.

 

[Blue3]

It should be of the highest achievement for a player to be selected to represent their county and clubs rightly can share in the achievement, in my opinion stopping a player from representing their country would be counter productive for player team relationships, it maybe the players decide not to take up the international selection due to concerns over possible quarantine rules but the clubs should not stop them if they so wish

Should the internationals even be taking place is a separate discussion

 

[blockhseagull]

Can’t see Alzate wanting to go.

Every international trip he has made has followed with a long period out of the side on his return. Having just got back into the team I doubt he would want to risk losing his place again.

Alexis didn’t even make the last Argie squad did he ? So might not be an issue there either.

 

[Change at Barnham]

And also possibly Percy Tau being wanted back in South Africa.

 

[aolstudios]

Didn't Mac get Covid last time?

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

With England's top clubs playing in Europe this week (and bleating about not being allowed to play in Germany, so using neutral grounds), to then turn round and say individual players can't go for Internationals would be open to accusations of hypocracy.

As [MENTION=28889]Blue3[/MENTION] said, the bigger question is why the hell are they playing internationals (or European games for that matter)?

 

[Official Old Man]

Put the boot on the other foot, so to speak.
You are the number one person in your company at what you do. You're asked to go to Argentina for a week for which you will be remembered plus it is something you've worked hard for all your life.
Going or not?

 

[blue-shifted]

The club can't do anything to stop Alexis or Stephen going to play for their countries.

Though the fact that any cross border sport is happening is utter madness.

There should be no elite sport exemption for cross border travel rules. Anyone travelling should be subject to the same quarantine rules as everyone else. The government should step in

 

[Springal]

The club can't do anything to stop Alexis or Stephen going to play for their countries.

Though the fact that any cross border sport is happening is utter madness.

There should be no elite sport exemption for cross border travel rules. Anyone travelling should be subject to the same quarantine rules as everyone else. The government should step in

I bet there is something in the players contracts about making themselves purposely unavailable for a fixture or similar. So if they knowingly leave the country, for whatever reason, knowing there is a 10 day quarantine period in place and will miss fixtures then I'd bet there would be a breach of contract

 

[vagabond]

It should be of the highest achievement for a player to be selected to represent their county and clubs rightly can share in the achievement, in my opinion stopping a player from representing their country would be counter productive for player team relationships, it maybe the players decide not to take up the international selection due to concerns over possible quarantine rules but the clubs should not stop them if they so wish

Should the internationals even be taking place is a separate discussion

In normal times, yes of course. But these are not normal times, this is a global pandemic. And having players flying around the world, when most people aren’t allowed to, to participate in tin pot international fixtures is utterly ludicrous, not to mention dangerous.

Clubs should be firmly against this until things clear up.

 

[A1X]

Shouldn't be playing international football anyway. Anywhere. Period.

 

[blue-shifted]

In normal times, yes of course. But these are not normal times, this is a global pandemic. And having players flying around the world, when most people aren’t allowed to, to participate in tin pot international fixtures is utterly ludicrous, not to mention dangerous.

Clubs should be firmly against this until things clear up.

More than that, this is a time when the biggest threat to public safety around the world is variants sweeping through an unexposed population.

There is no justification for any international fixtures, involving clubs or countries.

It's not up to the players to act. They understandably want international careers. They know if they don't go, someone will take and maybe keep their place
The clubs can't do anything. (unless as was suggested there are specific clauses in contracts, which there maybe for some all or none, we don't know)
The leagues have no power here.
FIFA or UEFA won't act. They don't care about deaths. They care about their cash cow
Broadcasters will still broadcast the games. And will threaten financial penalties if the matches aren't fulfilled
Governments acting collectively would be the only way to stop the madness. But do they want the bad publicity of cancelling sport

 

[RossyG]

The club has the perfect excuse to say no.

 

[Change at Barnham]

The clubs can't do anything. (unless as was suggested there are specific clauses in contracts, which there maybe for some all or none, we don't know)
The leagues have no power here.

"Last week, FIFA extended the exemption that means clubs do not have to release players where there is a mandatory quarantine period of five days or more on their return. And The Athletic has been told there is a growing belief that Premier League clubs have a case for telling FIFA players will not be released next month on a much wider basis."

 

[GT49er]

The club can't do anything to stop Alexis or Stephen going to play for their countries.

Though the fact that any cross border sport is happening is utter madness.

There should be no elite sport exemption for cross border travel rules. Anyone travelling should be subject to the same quarantine rules as everyone else. The government should step in

There isn't an elite sports exemption for South America.

 

[Change at Barnham]

In normal times, yes of course. But these are not normal times, this is a global pandemic. And having players flying around the world, when most people aren’t allowed to, to participate in tin pot international fixtures is utterly ludicrous, not to mention dangerous.

Argentina v Brazil in a World Cup qualifier?

I agree it makes it crazy to be travelling between infectious zones, but it also undermines the integrity of the competition.

 

[Blue3]

In normal times, yes of course. But these are not normal times, this is a global pandemic. And having players flying around the world, when most people aren’t allowed to, to participate in tin pot international fixtures is utterly ludicrous, not to mention dangerous.

Clubs should be firmly against this until things clear up.

It's surly down to the governing body of world football not the individual clubs or their paymasters Sponcers, shareholders, TV companies or which ever unelected Crown Prince it is that's worried about his position should the World Cup not take place to make that kind of decision.

These are indeed not normal times but money still rules