How Covid-19 outbreak could affect Hibs after seven days of uncertainty, SPFL talks, and postponed matches

Hibs had two matches at Ross County's Global Energy Stadium postponed, last Saturday and then again on Wednesday

It is now around a week since the Covid-19 outbreak at Hibs began to take hold.

There had been a couple of positive tests before the day of the game against Ross County. Broadly speaking, nothing to worry about too much, as virtually every club has experienced similar since the beginning of the pandemic.

Then, on the morning of the match, more positive tests. Only this time, there were several close contacts as well. What had seemed like one or two isolated cases had become something much more serious.

Hibs contacted the SPFL and alerted Ross County to the fact they would be unable to fulfil the game. On social media the club announced confirmation of the postponement and apologised to the travelling fans, some of whom had already journeyed a significant distance north.

Hibs chief executive Ben Kensell addressed the media to explain that the club could not raise a team

Chief executive Ben Kensell spent most of Sunday in talks with the SPFL over a new date for the rescheduled fixture. Despite further positive tests, Hibs were told to play the fixture on Wednesday November 3. Negotiations lasted for most of the day. Another club statement on Sunday evening confirmed the quick turnaround, with another effusive apology to fans and a thinly-veiled snipe at the league chiefs.

Come Monday there was an anxious wait for further developments. With five first-team players returning positive tests along with one member of the coaching staff, Hibs were already without nearly a full team of players, with another five sidelined through injury.

One newspaper ran a story with claims from a whistleblower who claimed some Hibs players had not been adhering to coronavirus protocols at their hotel in Inverness.

Training was cancelled for the under-18 squad, who underwent PCR tests to clear them for involvement on the Wednesday night, but late on Monday night rumours began to trickle out that there had been even more positive tests, to say nothing of those told to self-isolate through contract tracing.

The Covid-19 outbreak at Hibs forced the postponement of two matches and closure of the club's training centre

On Tuesday Hibs cancelled a planned pre-match press conference ahead of the rearranged match, suggesting that the situation was such that they would be again unable to raise a team for the next night’s fixture. Later that night Hibs confirmed that the rescheduled Ross County match as well as the trip to Livingston, originally fixed for today, had indeed been postponed.

22 players and staff affected

On Wednesday afternoon Kensell spoke to the media. The training centre had already been shut for a deep clean and training cancelled for the senior squad and development side. The chief executive confirmed that 15 players and three members of staff were affected, along with four other players who were self-isolating as close contacts.

The main reason given for Hibs' inability to field a team was a lack of players over the age of 18, laying bare the severity of the outbreak.

Striker Kevin Nisbet is expected to be able to join up with Scotland on international duty but things are less clear for Martin Boyle, who was named in the Australia squad despite head coach Graham Arnold confirming on Friday that the winger's situation was still up in the air.

So here we are, seven days in to one of the most challenging periods for the club in recent seasons. While the outbreak is hardly ideal preparation for a cup semi-final from a footballing point of view, the health of the players and staff comes first. Hopefully there are no lasting complications for those affected.

Uncertainty over recovery and effects

As things stand we don’t know how the players who returned positive tests for Covid-19 will cope. The possibility of long Covid lingers in the background too.

Recent coronavirus incidents involving Easter Road players serve as a warning that some individuals may be hit harder than others.

Struck down by the virus on the eve of pre-season, striker Christian Doidge was confined to his bed for seven or eight days and ordered by the East Mains medical staff not to do anything for the best part of three weeks.

"My first test was inconclusive so I did a PCR test which came back positive,” he told the Edinburgh Evening News in July. “I got a few symptoms and each day I was getting worse.

"You never think it’s going to happen to you, but it hit me hard. I was bed-bound for seven or eight days and really struggled.

"I got an exercise bike dropped off at my house and tried to do a bit but I just relapsed. The medical team told me not to do anything for two and a half weeks.”

Youngsters’ chance and 2016 parallel?

It doesn’t need a degree in maths to realise that any player experiencing similar to Doidge will be touch and go for the Hampden trip. Some under-18s may yet be called into the squad; a huge opportunity in difficult circumstances for them to step up and make an impression.

There is an interesting parallel with the 2016 Scottish Cup final. Hibs were in action up until the weekend before the final, playing four play-off matches, while Rangers had nearly three weeks without a competitive fixture. It was suggested that the lay-off hindered the Light Blues while Hibs had benefited from regular games.

Could outbreak spark bounce-back?

The chances are the affected players will be desperate to get back to action at the earliest possibility. The international break could well help in terms of recovery but it remains to be seen what sort of shape the squad will be in for the semi-final.

Whatever happens, it would be no surprise were Hibs to take inspiration from this episode to bounce back on the field. Given the team was on a poor run of form prior to the outbreak, the one thing the players want to do is be back playing as soon as possible, especially after promising sings in the second half of the 3-1 defeat by Celtic.

Hopefully it won't be too long before the squad is fully recovered and focusing on getting positive results – of a good kind.

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