Michael O'Neill: Scottish lower-league testing is 'non-starter'

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Image caption, Former Northern Ireland boss Michael O'Neill says testing at Stoke is approaching a five figure sum per week

Part-time Scottish clubs being able to test players for Covid-19 is a "non-starter", according to Stoke City manager Michael O'Neill.

English Championship teams, including Stoke, resumed training from May 25, with strict testing protocols.

Former Brechin City boss O'Neill says the same would be "nigh on impossible" for part-time Scottish clubs.

"I don't mean to be harsh, but for me, it's a non-starter," he told the 大象传媒's Scottish football podcast.

"The cost of testing we are doing twice a week at Stoke is approaching five figures. That amounts to probably about 50% of a lot of clubs' weekly budget in the Premiership.

"I think it's going to be extremely difficult, or nigh on impossible, for clubs to be able to do this."

O'Neill, who managed Brechin between 2006 and 2008, spoke about some of the challenges facing Stoke after resuming training.

They will test in excess of 40 people, which will take up to four hours with two doctors working.

"In week one, we were bringing players in groups of five, half an hour apart, we were doing a 75 minute session that was taking us four-and-a-half hours to get through it," O'Neill explained.

"I just can't see, having been manager of Brechin, that a club at that level could do it. The only way to do it is not as stringently, which obviously increases the risk."