Gareth Southgate: 'I warned that players needed to have the vaccine'

Gareth Southgate believes footballers will be able to play on even if they test positive for coronavirus once the vaccination process across Europe has been completed.

England manager Southgate called for footballers to be vaccinated back in March because of the risks attached to playing football during the coronavirus pandemic.

Southgate has seen his plans for England’s final group game against Czech Republic thrown into doubt after Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell were forced to self-isolate as a precaution because of an interaction with Scotland’s Billy Gilmour, who tested positive for coronavirus.

On whether or not players at the European Championships should have been vaccinated, Southgate said: “In terms of vaccinations, you need to go back to my suggestions in March around that, when I was fairly firmly shouted down for daring to suggest anything of the sort.

“I just made an observation that I thought given the tournament, given that we were asking professional sportspeople to go into these sorts of events and travel, and go back home to their families, that there would be a point where they were at greater risk of catching the virus than others.

“But, look, that ship's sailed and, as I said, even if we had the vaccine - you know I'm old enough, I've had both vaccines now - I'm told you can still catch it, the different variants, it's just less dangerous.

"The reality is moving forward, I don't think we'll be in a situation where a positive test rules you out because I think we'll be living with it, like we've lived with flu.

“But we’re not at that point and, of course, across the rest of Europe and the rest of the world the situation is different in terms of the numbers of people that are vaccinated and the dangers of it.

“So we have to accept we’re in the situation we are in and we’re abiding by all of the regulations and at the moment that’s why the two boys are having to isolate until we have more information and confirmation of where we stand.”

Meanwhile the Duke of Cambridge will join fans in the stands at Wembley, Kensington Palace announced.

The Duke, who celebrated his 39th birthday on Monday, is an avid football fan and president of the Football Association.

He tweeted recently: "Wishing all the best to the Home Nations competing this summer - looking forward to a fantastic tournament! W"