CONTACT RACE
OLE AND WILDER IN A HURRY TO TAKE TRAINING TO NEXT LEVEL AS TOP FLIGHT LOOKS TO STEP IT UP
MANAGERS are calling for training restrictions to be relaxed so they can step up preparations for football’s resumption.
With players having been able to train in small groups for more than a week and twice tested for coronavirus as part of plans for Project Restart, bosses hope today’s Premier League meeting will provide the green light to organise some more meaningful sessions.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (right) says his Manchester United players have adapted well to guidelines designed to prevent the spread of Covid-19 since returning to Carrington and believes it is time to allow some contact training. ‘We’re back in training, which has been great,’ said the Red Devils boss. ‘The boys have been fantastic, the weather’s been good and they’ve enjoyed it. ‘Hopefully we’ve proved we can do this safely and we can move to the next step. Everyone’s looking sharp, everyone’s been in a good mood and we’ve been splitting up on groups of fours and fives and they’ve really done well. Hopefully, they can step up and go to bigger training groups but so far it’s been good.’
Government guidelines call for a gradual build-up of contact before a return to full-team training and Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder pointed to the successful restart of Germany’s top flight as a model for the Premier League to follow as it targets a mid-June restart.
‘There are an awful lot of opinions flying about but thankfully there is a light at the end of the tunnel that we can all get back to normality in terms of our working,’ Wilder said.
‘There is an enormous amount of enthusiasm in this country to watch football. The Bundesliga is a great gauge of what the Premier League will be like when we get back.’
Players and managers were briefed yesterday to allay fears about the risks of such a step-up in training and Wilder added: ‘The authorities talked about phase one as a minimum of seven days and if it goes to plan, they will assess it.
‘Step two is contact and making the groups bigger. That has to come as quickly as possible to accelerate the small-sided games, 11-versus-11s and the return to playing.’
Adrian Mariappa was back at Watford’s training ground yesterday for a second coronavirus check having tested positive last week. Sky Sports said a small group of Watford players who stayed away last week have resumed training but captain Troy Deeney was not among them.