Glory player tests positive for COVID-19
Perth Glory owner Tony Sage says the club's entire A-League Men squad could be ruled out of Saturday's clash with Brisbane Roar after a player tested positive to COVID-19.
All members of the Glory squad tested negative when they left Adelaide earlier this week, but an unnamed player tested positive shortly after arriving in Brisbane and was informed of the result on Wednesday night.
It means the player and his roommate will be unavailable for the game against the Roar.
If the rest of the Glory squad are also deemed to be close contacts, then all would be ruled out and the game would have to be postponed.
That scenario would also likely result in Perth's game in Adelaide next week against the Reds postponed as well.
Glory players and staff are currently stranded in their Brisbane hotel waiting for further advice.
'Now the whole of the squad is being retested, and hopefully it's only the one player (who has caught the virus),' Sage told Perth radio station 6PR.
'But the person he's sharing the room with is considered a close contact. He definitely won't be able to play.
'So definitely two players ruled out, but maybe the whole squad ruled out for Saturday's game.
'Hopefully by the end of today we'll know what their decision is.'
Sage said Perth are not allowed to reveal the identity of the player just yet, and that they were investigating how the player contracted the virus.
'We were in Adelaide for a period of time,' Sage said.
'The players were kept segregated in the hotel, we were able to train.
'It's very difficult to find. Unless it came from one of the employees at the hotel, or someone who ate at the hotel.
'We are investigating, because we need to know for close contacts and who else in the squad is vulnerable.'
Glory have been on the road for all but their season opener due to the complexities of Western Australia's hard border.
Players were originally told they would be able to return home for Christmas before hitting the road again.
But the positive COVID-19 test has almost certainly ruled out that prospect.
'They are distraught,' Sage said.
'They were told they were going to be home. They put up with the farce schedule we've already had, and they've acquitted themselves very well.
'They saw light at the end of the tunnel and that light now has just turned off.
'It looks like they won't be able to come home for Christmas.
'It's an absolute disaster for the club.
'Forgetting finances, my concern is with the players.
'Brandon O'Neill just had a baby who is about five or six days old.
'He was only going to be away for six or seven days (to play these next two games) and then come back (to Perth).
'The players are pretty distraught at the moment.'
Saturday's match against Brisbane was set to mark the return to action of star signing Daniel Sturridge, who hasn't played since making a nine-minute cameo against Adelaide in round one.
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