Coach Ranieri struggles to arrange training amid Watford Covid outbreak

PA Media/dpa London Claudio Ranieri has had just one training session with his Watford squad in two weeks ahead of the visit of West Ham on Tuesday. The ...

PA Media/dpa London Claudio Ranieri has had just one training session with his Watford squad in two weeks ahead of the visit of West Ham on Tuesday.The Hornets have not taken the field since a 2-1 defeat at Brentford on December 10 following a COVID-19 outbreak at the club.Watford have since had matches against Burnley, Crystal Palace and Wolverhampton Wanderers postponed due to a lack of numbers and Ranieri has found organising training a tough proposition.“I have just today (had) the first training session all together, it’s not easy,” Ranieri said on Monday morning.“Fortunately today arrived all my players together and that is very, very important and I have just the injured players and it’s a bad moment now.“It’s a bad moment because the players can’t train properly and I hope nobody suffers some injuries because you know when they don’t train and they arrive at the end (of the game) it is very difficult to play but that’s it.” As the pandemic continues to impact football, both Manchester United manager Ralf Rangnick and Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp have discussed concerns over signing players not vaccinated against coronavirus, and Ranieri agrees with the pair.When asked if he agreed with the Liverpool boss over the significance of a potential signing’s vaccination status, the Italian said: “Yes, I think we have to think about this.“There is another problem and if you are vaccinated, if you get Covid it is just for little things, without vaccination you have to stay at home a long time without training and it is important to understand if these players are vaccinated.” On the field, Tuesday’s opponents West Ham have just one win from their last eight matches after an impressive start to the season, but Ranieri remained cautious when asked if it was the right time to play the Hammers.“It’s a very big challenge against West Ham, West Ham is a good team, they play very well, (David) Moyes is doing a fantastic job,” the Hornets boss said.“They are solid and up front they have very good players and we have to change our way because it is not possible to continue, we are in the relegation battle in the Premier League and we must change something.” Norwich boss Smith admits ‘clock is ticking’ Manager Dean Smith admits “the clock is ticking” as he attempts to save Norwich from Premier League relegation.The Canaries remain rooted to the foot of the table, three points from safety, after slumping to a 5-0 home defeat to Arsenal on Boxing Day.Having seen his side double their points tally for the season by taking five points from his opening three games in charge, Smith has been unable to maintain the progress.Four consecutive defeats, without registering a goal, means Norwich head to Crystal Palace on Tuesday in desperate need of a reaction.“There are still 20 games to go but the clock is ticking,” conceded head coach Smith.“I will look at myself, did I get the team right (against Arsenal)? Did I prepare the team right? But the players have to take a long, hard look at themselves.“I won’t spend too long on dissecting Arsenal, because there were too many mistakes, but the players will know that.“My overriding emotion was anger, because I haven’t seen that coming.“We worked on Christmas Day and I felt watching them the players were ready to put in a big performance but we certainly didn’t do that.” Following the Arsenal defeat, Smith had said the job of keeping Norwich in the top flight is now more difficult than when he replaced Daniel Farke in November.The former Aston Villa boss cited his depleted squad as the reason for the uphill battle becoming a tougher climb with a number of players missing due to a mix of injuries and positive Covid cases.The task at Palace will not be made easier by any of those absentees returning at Selhurst Park, with Smith adding: “”We knew coming into the Arsenal game none of those unavailable would be back, either through injury, illness or Covid.“It’s too early to say at this stage for the Leicester game (on New Year’s Day). We just have to get through this next game first.“We have the same group again. I have to lift spirits. But you need the players to drive it as well.”