Crystal Palace boss says "He's never felt happier or healthier."
Saturday 7 March 2020 23:15, UK
Roy Hodgson says he will abide by any ban on over-70s from attending football matches if the government implements such a law over the coronavirus outbreak.
Sports authorities and broadcasters have been summoned by the government for discussions on coronavirus contingency plans - as the Premier League is considering banning over-70s at matches.
The meetings will be held in London on Monday and will cover various possibilities in case the virus spreads further.
Such a ban may affect Palace manager Hodgson, who is 72.
Hodgson responded to questions about the potential ban, admitting the decision is out of his hands and although he has never felt healthier, he would abide by any laws the government would implement regarding his attendance at matches.
Speaking after Palace's 1-0 win over Watford, he said: "I'll wait and see what happens and it's not something that concerns me.
"I presume they'll be doing that to protect us. I've read that it's the people that are older that are most at risk but I feel very healthy. Being at the club will keep me a lot healthier - more so than the average guy who spends a lot of his time on the tube.
"But we are doing our level best at the club to respect all the guidelines - we have cleaners going around disinfecting the training ground, we have hand-washes everywhere and players are no longer shaking hands or hugging each other.
"We're doing all the things that are there to be done. But in the final analysis we're in the hands of the government, who will make a decision on behalf of the country.
"We live in a democracy and we're law-abiding citizens. I'll have to abide by that when the time comes but I've never felt healthier or happier. At a time where people are asking questions, I'm in the best possible place."
