Stan Collymore has claimed that he would be happy for action to be played behind closed doors if scientists discover that the latest Coronavirus ‘variant of concern’ is more transmissible and increases the chances of hospitalisation.
The Omicron variant is spreading around the globe at an alarming rate and cases in the UK are already beginning to increase.
“If this Omicron is bad and there’s even more potential for other variants, we have to realise, as a football family, that we may again have to forgo going to Villa Park, Anfield, Roots Hall, wherever, for a defined period of time,” the 50-year-old told Empire of the Kop.
“You know what, it would be the right thing because public health is more important than our right to go to a football match.”
The news would come as a blow to Jurgen Klopp’s men who have returned to their best form since stadiums were allowed to welcome supporters at full capacity.
The Reds struggled last season whilst playing without fans and went eight straight home games without a win.
We are all aware of the atmosphere that can be generated at Anfield and it’s been proven in the past that opposition players cannot handle the hostile environment.
Public health must come first, though.
If closing stadiums for a few weeks or months means that lives will be saved and normality can return once again, then we are all for it.
You can watch the ex-Red discuss the new Covid variant and the effect it may have on football via our Twitter page below.
🗣️"It would be the right thing because public health is more important than our right to go to a football match."@StanCollymore weighs in on the threat posed by the Omicron Covid variant 📢 #LFC pic.twitter.com/OohA1vv5LH
— Empire of the Kop (@empireofthekop) December 2, 2021
fucking moronic