Watford Defender Adrian Mariappa is one of the three Hornets who tested positive for coronavirus.
Mariappa told the Telegraph: “I’ve not had any symptoms and I’ve felt as fit as ever, probably fitter because I’ve been working really hard. I’ve been following my training programme and I’ve not felt out of breath or ill, or anything.
“We’ve been fully monitored the whole time and the club have been able to track our distances and things.
“I’ve been really excelling in all of that. It’s quite scary how you can feel absolutely fine and not really have left the house, and yet still get the virus.
“If it wasn’t for the fact I had gone back to training and had this test, then I’d never have found out that I had the virus and I would just be getting on with things as normal. That’s obviously quite a strange thought.”
Indeed, he says he has no idea how he got it: “Ever since I got my positive result back on Tuesday, I’ve been scratching my head to try to work out how I might have got coronavirus.
“It was a big surprise because I haven’t really left the house, apart from some exercise and the odd walk with the kids. I’ve mainly just been homeschooling and keeping fit.
“The club doctor called to tell me and, to be honest, I did ask whether it could be 100 per cent accurate or whether my results could have got muddled up. Maybe if I had been displaying any symptoms then it might have made sense. But in my head, it wasn’t adding up.
Watford tweeted recently announcing that one player of theirs has contracted the infection. However, they had not named the player, trying to respect their privacy. This was not enough, as the announcement backfired.
The Jamaica international was disappointed the results have ended up revealing his identity:
“But once Watford’s name came out then my phone went mad with people asking who it was and I’m sure it was the same for all of the rest of the staff and players.
“For your family, you’d rather keep it to yourself, but, unfortunately, that hasn’t been possible. It’s disappointing that rumours started, but I will just get on with things now and follow the protocols.”
This makes the 33-year-old one of the six positive personnel from the first round of Premier League trials this week as the top flight steps towards a resumption. Burnley’s assistant manager Ian Woan, along with two other Watford staff members, also tested positive.
