This is why Steven Taylor is in coronavirus quarantine in Australia

Former Newcastle United defender Steven Taylor is in quarantine – on the other side of the world.
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Taylor, now captain of Wellington Phoenix in New Zealand, today travelled to Australia with his team-mates. The club is relocating in an attempt to finish complete its A-League fixture programme. All games will be played behind closed doors.

However, the players and staff must first spend two weeks in quarantine in Sydney due to the coronavirus pandemic, which has led the football being suspended across Europe.

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Taylor and his team-mates will be allowed to train during their quarantine period following talks with officials in both countries.

Wellington Phoenix general manager David Dome said: ‘’The decision to travel to Sydney in an attempt to complete this season was made as a club.

‘’We have discussed this amongst ourselves, consulted with health professionals and government bodies in Australia and New Zealand, and taken all possible precautions to ensure those travelling are given the best protection possible.

‘’We are also conscious that the situation is constantly evolving, and it may all change again tomorrow, but we are making this decision with the best information we have available at this time.

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“As things have continued to evolve rapidly over the past few days, all options have been investigated, and it became apparent that suspension of the A-League was never an option.”

Steven Taylor.Steven Taylor.
Steven Taylor.

Wellington have had a strong season so far. The club is third in the A-League behind Sydney and Melbourne City.

The 34-year-old also had spells at Portland Timbers and Ipswich Town after leaving Newcastle in 2016.

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The defender signed a new two-year deal at Wellington earlier this year. Coach Ufuk Talay said: "Taylor is a natural leader and a very influential player for us. He leads by example both on and off the field – he brings an abundance of experience to the club – and obviously he's an important player for us moving forward with the direction this club is heading."