Scott McDonald: Ex-Motherwell striker continuing to play football in A-League despite Coronavirus

Scott McDonald (right) in action for Motherwell against Dundee during his second spell at Fir Park

The veteran Brisbane Roar forward – whose two spells with ’Well came from 2004 to 2007 and 2015 to 2017 – continues to play A-League soccer while virtually every other league has been wiped out by a crisis which has already infected over 300,000 people worldwide and has led to virtual lockdown for millions of people.

McDonald (36), who is playing matches behind closed doors, told Sky Sports News: “It’s a curious situation we all find ourselves in.

“One that’s very odd, being one of the only countries to still be playing sport.

“It was decided that we would continue on, as long as the government and the health organisations thought it was OK.

“We’re doing our utmost every day to make sure we’re keeping the agreements of keeping that space between each other and trying to be as clean as you can to try and stem this virus from spreading through the squad.

“There’s a lot in the background of having to rely on certain monies within the game and livelihoods at stake.

“It’s a day by day thing. Until we’re told otherwise which could be tomorrow, we just continue to try and be as normal as possible.”

McDonald’s side – managed by Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler – only have six league fixtures to play this campaign and McDonald said that being so close to the end of the season was key in the Australian authorities’ decision to keep playing.

“The requirement with TV companies that are at hand is to get the season done,” McDonald added. “So we’re trying to do that as quickly as we can and as safely as we can.

“We’re quite fortunate as footballers at the moment that we’re going into our normal environment and we can get away from the reality in the real world.”