Blackpool boss welcomes mandatory Covid testing but queries why it's taken so long to be introduced

The initiative, which is being funded by the PFA, got underway on Monday.

It follows a number of recent outbreaks at clubs within the EFL, with League One being particularly affected.

Up until now, regular testing wasn’t mandatory, although an EFL-wide testing programme took place last week.

Instead, clubs have had to follow strict protocol related to training sessions and match-days, but this hasn’t been enough to combat the recent outbreaks caused by the new strain of the coronavirus.

Critchley has welcomed the news, but believes regular testing ought to have been in place already.

He said: “It’s definitely the right call, but you could ask the question why it’s taken this long. What were we waiting for before this happened?

“The PFA are funding it, that’s fantastic. But if the money was there to fund it, why have we waited?

“It’s got to help if it helps the game to continue and it will help if it will pick up the infections earlier and stop the virus from spreading.

“It has to be a good thing.”

Blackpool’s campaign has been affected by the coronavirus in recent weeks, with their games against Sunderland and Rochdale postponed over the Christmas period due to outbreaks among the opposition ranks.

Pool duo Chris Maxwell and Matty Virtue tested positive on December 23, but they were isolated cases and the Seasiders were prepared to play on.

Last week, a further two positive tests were returned following a round of mandatory testing that involved 39 players and staff.

Critchley admits it’s been a challenging time, but Pool’s head coach is trying to focus on football as much as is possible.

“When the Sunderland game was cancelled, we brought the Ipswich game forward which left us with a free weekend. We knew that was going to happen, we had planned for that scenario,” he said.

“But when something is thrown upon you like the Rochdale postponement the day before the day, then it has an effect on you psychologically and physically.

“How you’ve prepared for that game in terms of your training schedule and the content of your sessions, all of a sudden it’s changed and it’s disruptive.

“That happened to us on Christmas Day on all days and I did feel we had lost a little bit of momentum in that moment and I thought we paid the price for that a little bit.

“But I have to say the situation is what it is, these situations are out of our control. I try not to think about it too much because you can’t control it and it is depressing.

“I try to keep reminding myself how fortunate we are but it is a challenge, but we can control what we can control.

“I know I use that phrase quite often but we have certain things in our control and if we can do that to the best of our ability, that’s my main priority.”

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