Watford boss Nigel Pearson has hit out at UK prime minister Boris Johnson over a lack of leadership in regards to the cornoavirus affecting Premier League games.
A press conference about the outbreak of the coronavirus following a COBRA meeting of the Government was held on Thursday where Johnson said postponing fixtures was being considered.
"We are considering banning major public events, including sporting fixtures," he said. "We will do the right thing at the right time.
"The scientific advice is this has little effect on the spread - but it does place a burden on other public services.
"We're discussing these issues with colleagues in all parts of the UK."
Since those comments, Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta and Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi have both tested positive for coronavirus and are now in a period of self-isolation.
As a result, this weekend's games in the top flight of English football are expected to be called off and there are some suggestions that the league could be suspended until after the international break.
However, Pearson wasn't best pleased with the content of Johnson's press conference and hit out at the prime minister.
"I don’t think we had any great leadership last night listening to the prime minister," Pearson said, as per the Guardian . "I was totally underwhelmed by the lack of leadership and clear message in terms of what was said in that press conference.
"We are trying to be proactive ourselves and hopefully the Premier League will make strong decisions based on what is right for everybody in the game."
"We have to be mindful that this problem, this worldwide problem is not going to go away, it’s going to run its course, it’s not something we can stop and, we, in the football industry, have a responsibility to ourselves and each other that the wellbeing of everybody concerned is taken care," he added.
"I think what’s important first and foremost is to deal with the wellbeing of people involved in the industry.
"We have to be decisive with how the problem, the situation, is dealt with."
