The Manchester United Women Manager Apologises After A Dubai Visit Forces Matches To Be Postponed
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ll be aware that celebs, influencers and sports stars are flocking to the sunnier shores of Dubai right now.
As many countries face strict COVID restrictions, thanks to a tough lockdown in 2020 and precautionary measures upheld across the city, Dubai remains a safe haven for travel and with guaranteed sunshine, stars including Man United and Man City women’s players took the opportunity to visit… But the result of positive COVID cases and postponed games have left fans less than impressed.
The recent Manchester United Women’s team game that was meant to happen on Sunday (today) has been postponed after a number of players travelled to Dubai over the holidays. The number of players who travelled for ‘business purposes’ has not been reported
The manager of the Manchester United Women team fields the blame following public backlash
Manchester United Women manager Casey Stoney says she is ‘sincerely sorry’ after some of her players travelled to Dubai during the winter break. pic.twitter.com/olN4C34mmj
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) January 8, 2021
Some people called on the team to apologise too
They should be apologizing as well.
— Dara Conner (@fieldysgrl98) January 9, 2021
Some even went as far as to say that Man United should hand the game
If a Club cannot field a team because of negligent behaviour they should automatically hand the game to the opposition. Clubs that have a team should not be punished. Proving this could be difficult, but not in Utd's case.
— WhiteRosePE (@WhiteRosePE1) January 9, 2021
Stoney took the wrap for the entire team, ‘the buck stops with me’
I trust my players wholeheartedly to stay within the government guidelines, everything we allowed them to do is withing the government guidelines, but I have to be honest and on reflection, it was probably a poor error in judgement from me. The buck stops with me and it starts with me and I’m responsible for that
Via @Casey Stoney
But many asked why Stoney was taking the blame
How is this the manager’s fault?
— TheForeigner (@TheForeigner16) January 9, 2021
Not so coincidentally, a Man City match Vs Everton women’s match was also postponed after players travelled to Dubai
And the decision to postpone the matches remains controversial. People are divided over whether the players themselves should be punished, instead of the opposition team.
They should be made to play and those that travelled banned and fined. Same for the Tottenham and West Ham men’s players that spent Christmas together.
— Verity Quinton (@VerityQ) January 7, 2021