Chelsea: Be thankful England is cautious with Mason Mount, Ben Chilwell

Chelsea’s Billy Gilmour tested positive for Covid between Scotland’s draw with England and their match with Croatia. Club teammates Ben Chilwell and Mason Mount both tested positive, but supposedly had extended contact with him in the tunnel. As a precaution, they’ll quarantine and miss England’s third group match against the Czech Republic.

Cue international outrage. Mount and Chilwell having to miss a match that only determines where England go into the knockouts rather than if they do is a step too far. Never mind that Mount could really use a rest before the knockouts and Chilwell hasn’t played yet anyways. This is a step too far!

Except all this outrage is either overblown or misplaced. Chelsea should be happy that England is cautious with Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell. It’s too rare player health and well being is considered. Teams, coaches, and organizations all too often take a cavalier attitude with player well being, safety, and health.

Concussion subs? Too hard to implement, better suck it up and have someone else tell you how you played afterwards when you can’t remember. Covid running through the team? Best find whoever didn’t get it to play. Played tons of games already? Let’s add an extra international match for profits.

One of the few times a group takes an abundance of a caution and it’s an outrage. Now, the points made about close contact with Gilmour on the pitch and behind closed doors are fair. One of the main issues is the breach of the bubbles but even that aside Scotland playing their third round and having only Gilmour in quarantine is a bit of a farce. But overall, the anger is misplaced.

It’s not ridiculous that Mount and Chilwell are in quarantine. It’s ridiculous that they are the only two. That’s where the outrage should be directed. It’s simply unbelievable that no one in the Scotland side was exposed or a potential exposure. That none of them are quarantining is not a punishment for Mount and Chilwell, it’s a serious problem for Scotland.

Again, player safety is considered far too little. Even after a global pandemic which is still ongoing in many parts of the world, the powers that be still don’t really care. The fact that the Euros are being done all over Europe is silly. Elsewhere, Copa America moved from South American Covid hotspot number one to South American Covid hotspot number two. Concussion subs are supposed to be a thing that’s implemented, but for some reason the Euros missed that boat. Twice already we’ve seen players that are potentially concussed get the shortest of tests only to play on. Add all of that to the simple fact that these players have been going non stop for over a year now in the name of catching up and the show going on and outrage over two players being quarantined is a bit silly.

England did the right thing over Mount and Chilwell. If anything, the outrage should be less about why they are missing match day three and more about why Scotland is playing it. Regardless, Chelsea should be thankful for England’s caution, even if it does prove to be an overreaction. It’s good to know someone is looking out for the players because all indications is UEFA, the FA, and many more don’t really care as long as the check clears.