West Ham United and Crystal Palace have indefinitely postponed their July tour to Queensland, Australia because of the novel coronavirus outbreak, both Premier League clubs announced on Wednesday.
West Ham United and Palace were scheduled to meet A-League side Brisbane Roar, coached by former England striker Robbie Fowler in the inaugural Queensland Champions Cup.
The exhibition event was set to take place in three cities— Townsville, Gold Coast and Brisbane— along the Queensland coast from July 11 to 18 with each team playing two matches.
“It is bitterly disappointing not to be able to make the club’s landmark trip to Queensland this July,” Palace chairman Steve Parish said in a statement.
“We’ll do everything we possibly can to try to rearrange the tour for 2021, once things become clear with the Premier League schedule for the remainder of this season, and next year’s provisional timings, too.”
Soccer in England was suspended indefinitely last month due to the flu-like virus, which has infected 2.5 million people globally causing over 172,900 deaths. West Ham manager David Moyes said the clubs had made the right decision to postpone the tour.
“This is a situation that has affected the entire world, though, and the only thing that matters at this time is that people stay safe and well,” Moyes said in a statement.
Elsewhere, Sheffield United’s players have agreed to defer part of their salaries and bonuses until the end of the year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Premier League club said in a statement.
The players join manager Chris Wilder, his senior coaching staff and CEO Stephen Bettis, who agreed on Monday to defer part of their pay and bonuses for six months due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus.
“The entire professional playing staff... (have accepted)... a partial pay deferral, plus bonus payments, until the end of 2020,” the Blades said in a statement.
United are the latest top-flight club in England to announce wage deferrals for players, following similar moves by Southampton and West Ham United. Arsenal said on Monday that their players and coaching staff agreed to accept a 12.5% pay cut.
“I am pleased that we have reached an agreement with our first-team players, manager and backroom staff to help support the club,” United CEO Bettis said.
“It is a difficult period for everyone, but our football club also needs to be taken care of and I’m delighted that the players want to mirror the gesture of Chris and the staff by contributing, it confirms they care about Sheffield United.”
The Blades won promotion from the Championship (second-tier) last season and were seventh in the Premier League table when soccer in England was suspended indefinitely last month due to the coronavirus outbreak.
