Sheffield Wednesday boss Garry Monk ‘lost’ with handling of Covid-19 as Sheffield prepares to enter Tier Three lockdown
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The Owls manager extended a message of support to those set to suffer when the measures are enacted at midnight tonight and said that he had spoken with players and staff about the positive impact their performances can have on Wednesdayites in what he described as ‘tough times’.
Monk said that while he appreciates the difficult position the Government are in, he expressed a lack of clarity as to what is deemed safe and what isn’t.
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Hide AdHe has spoken about the safe admission of fans back into stadiums over recent weeks, admitting it hasn’t felt like ‘real football’ in front of empty terraces.
“It’s so difficult isn’t it?,” Monk told The Star. “There are tough times ahead and if I’m honest with you, since that first lockdown and then coming out of it and everything since then, I’m kind of a bit lost with it.
“You can do one thing but not another thing, which doesn’t seem to make sense.
“We’re all in the same position, aren’t we? Trying to work all that out. Some of it feels like it’s unnecessary because other things are going on, a couple of weeks ago there was a function at the Palladium with a couple of thousand people in a closed space, yet we can’t have 2,000 people spaced out in an open stadium. It just doesn’t make sense.
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Hide Ad“It’s difficult for the Government, these aren’t easy decisions.”
The Wednesday boss said that there have been very few fluctuations in the way the first team have gone about their business to ensure they stay in-line with Covid restrictions because players and staff have essentially been under ‘Tier Three’ ruling since the start of lockdown.
On the role Wednesday can play in lifting the mood of half the city at least, Monk said it is a responsibility not lost on him or his players.
He said: “People are going to be suffering, not only financially, but mentally and we have to try to stick together and support them.
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Hide Ad“In terms of us, I don’t know what we can physically do, but if we can bring a little bit of joy in terms of getting results and winning on a Saturday, there’s that hour and a half which can maybe be a distraction for people, then that is what we have to include in our motivation and that is what have been doing.
“We have spoken about that and what we need to do this season. We have tried to open ourselves up with our media channels and give the fans a better insight into knowing who is going to be fighting for them on a weekend.
“The only thing we can contribute now is to help distract them by hopefully giving them three points and a good feeling for their football club.
“It is not easy in Sheffield right now going into tier three but let's hope we are not in it for long and we can return to normal as soon as possible.”