Derry City punishment 'morally corrupt' amid Covid-19 pandemic

The ex-Cobh Ramblers manager claims the FAI's decision to charge the Brandywell club for not fulfilling its league match against Shamrock Rovers is 'outrageous' and 'beggars belief'.

Derry were advised by the HSC Public Health Agency to 'stand down' its entire first team staff and self-isolate for 14 days after a player and coaching staff tested positive for Covid-19 ahead of last week's trip to Tallaght.However, despite the fact the FAI had originally agreed to postpone the game for Covid reasons when it was first pencilled in for October 16th, Derry will go before the FAI's Disciplinary Committee today where they could be forced to forfeit the match.

It's a decision which Henderson, now working as Shelbourne's Head of Youth Development, simply can't understand.

"The one thing you don't do is punish people." said the Dubliner. "You don't punish people for minding people. That's outrageous. Derry have taken no risks. That's what they've been advised to do by the government.

"The FAI cannot think it's more important that we finish the league on time over the health and welfare of human beings.

"You never put a week or two weeks, or any money, ahead of someone's health and in some cases their life which has been the case with Covid.

"You have to question the thought process of changing the rules as they go along without considering the impact on the people these rules apply to. That beggars belief.

"The fact that Derry is part of the United Kingdom - they're in a different jurisdiction in relation to Covid-19. This is completely out of Derry's hands and then to punish them for that, you would be fuming if you were Derry.

"This is nothing to do with Shamrock Rovers. This is to do with Derry City and a virus that has killed over a million people and affected thousands upon thousands of people in this country.

"And the lasting damage this virus will have on people we don't know. We don't know how it's going to affect the players that have had it.

"We've read that this virus can scar your lungs. It can affect your heart and have long term effects which could potentially put people out of the game.

"If Derry didn't do what they did and went and played that game and it put one player out of football for the rest of his life, then that's one player too many just because they (FAI) don't want the season to be extended by a week or so.

"The story here isn't Shamrock Rovers, the story here is Derry City who were following the rules - government rules, they were following the law!

"In the interests of the health and safety of human beings - not football players but human beings. That's what they've done.

"You do not punish people for doing that. It's morally corrupt to do that and it's an indictment on how this league is being run.

"All the clubs have been brilliant, including Derry. I'm sure the FAI didn't cover pandemics in their participation agreement. Everyone is working their way through this as best they can. The one thing you don't do is punish people."

Henderson, who led Cobh to the 2018 EA Sports Cup Final against Derry at Brandywell believes the only fair outcome which protects the integrity of the game is to settle the matter on the field.

"The FAI Cup Final is at the end of November. So are you telling me they can't fit in one league game between now and then? In the interests of fairness that's what needs to happen here.

"Derry are very professional and there's people putting a lot of money into that football club. There are a lot of volunteers and that all has to be taken into consideration. That game needs to be rescheduled as soon as possible.

"As soon as Derry City have enough players and as soon as they all come out of lockdown and there's no serious ailments and they're fit to play, let them play.

"There's no way they should be punished. There's no way in this day and age you should punish a club for taking due care of their staff, their managers, their volunteers.

"The right thing to do is to wait for these people to get better, get their tests and then play the game. Do it on the field.

"We've had enough nonsense going on off the field with this Wexford situation. They've (FAI) already made a show of themselves with Wexford. Don't be doing it again with this."

Any punishment meted out by the FAI could have serious ramifications for Derry City who still have the chance of finishing fourth while they could yet end the season in the relegation play-off spot.

Henderson believes clubs have suffered enough during the pandemic and City Chairman, Philip O'Doherty and everyone invested in the club deserve the chance to finish their full league programme.

"Derry should be given that opportunity to get that fourth spot which could conjure up a European spot. The Chairman puts a lot of money into that football club and that football club, like every other in this country, needs to be minded, nurtured and promoted.

"It certainly doesn't need to be punished for putting the health and safety of their staff first.

"I'll be watching and I'm sure everyone in the country will be watching this really, really closely. Conversations need to be had.

"That game needs to be played against Shamrock Rovers to give Derry every opportunity to return some of the investment that they've put into running the team this year with no supporters."