Dons boss demands major SFA improvement over virus protocols

Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes has demanded major improvements from the Scottish Football Association after losing three Scotland Under-21s players to coronavirus issues.

Connor McLennan and Lewis Ferguson were missing from Aberdeen's injury-hit squad for their 4-0 defeat by Rangers on Sunday after being among 11 under-21 players instructed to self-isolate following a European qualifier in Greece.

The decision to ask eight players to self-isolate through track and trace procedures only came after three others tested positive for Covid-19 at their clubs, including Aberdeen's Ross McCrorie, who previously contracted the coronavirus in March.

McCrorie's twin, Livingston goalkeeper Robby McCrorie, and Celtic midfielder David Turnbull also tested positive, while Motherwell lost midfielders Allan Campbell and Barry Maguire and Rangers full-back Nathan Patterson is also isolating.

McInnes feels the SFA's safety protocols and testing requirements are too slack, especially after a Scotland Under-21 staff member tested positive before the Greece trip.

They were sat where they were told to sit on the flights and in the coaches and at hotels,'' he said.

A positive test can happen to any of us, but after that it is not unfortunate. Two players have been dragged into it by association with a positive test.

That is what everyone has been trying to avoid. We travel on two buses, we socially-distance, we split into groups so defenders, midfielders and strikers are not all together.

We had Aberdeen players all sitting in close proximity when they were away, which isn't right. One positive test has taken out three players. It's not good enough.

The Scotland first team went away and there were no issues but the time before that there were issues.''

McInnes, whose unhappiness was shared by Celtic boss Neil Lennon and Motherwell's Stephen Robinson, added: We saw on Sky that there was a positive test in a staff member for the 21s and I think everyone should have been tested again before they flew out to Greece. Whether it happened, I don't think it did.

We would have insisted our players were tested before they flew out again because McCrorie's test was through the roof. It wasn't just borderline. That boy has been carrying that for a few days, that's what the experts think.

I do think mandatory testing for any player who goes away with their national team should be there for the next three days.

We know other clubs will use a negative test from the Sunday from the 21s straight into the first team on Saturday because it's within the timeframe. That's not right.

There should be mandatory testing for those players and clubs should be compensated for that.''

McInnes was also unhappy with the SFA's attitude.

I don't even expect an apology but even some disappointment from the SFA,'' he said.

They just deliver the news and then you have to deal with it. That is what sticks in managers' throats.

It is not just me, there are a lot of managers out there unhappy at the attitude really of having to just deal with it. 'We will take your players you deal with the consequences'.''