Training Return: Premier League Vote While Players are Tested

In response to the ravaging health challenges across the globe, English football was suspended in mid-March. However, the clubs are currently considering “Project Restart” as shareholders will hold a conference call to discuss the way forward.

On Monday, the stakeholders will meet to vote on the possibility of players commencing training this week by starting the first phase of the small-group, socially-distanced sessions.

Information gathered by the PA News Agency reveals that about 50% of Premiership clubs were tested on Sunday. At the same time, the rest will undergo similar tests on Monday in preparation for a possible return to training.

If the majority votes in favor of a return, training may start on Tuesday, while players may be tested twice per week. The plan is to have 40 tests per session to ensure players’ safety after returning to action.

Prenetics will lead “Project Screen by Circle.” They will conduct 1,600 tests weekly. The tests will be processed by The Doctors Laboratory, the same approach adopted in Bundesliga.

It should be noted that Bundesliga, the German top-flight football league, set the pace for other leagues by returning to action last weekend. However, while that may send a positive signal, Carneiro, a former Chelsea doctor, has warned the football community, especially the authorities, against rushing their players back to the field.

In an interview with The Times, the doctor said it is not advisable to return to full-time competition considering that phase one of their plans haven’t been delivered yet.

She further highlighted the importance of learning and adapting to the first phase before taking another step. She believes that the current guidance that Premiership clubs are using doesn’t consider two critical factors: the absence of medical guidance and the culture of football.

She added further that although football is big business, the fear of hurting some individuals who may be hell-bent on forcing teams to restart the league amid the global crisis should be jettisoned. Since these reports have been released a number of Casinos Online have been starting to take bets on when the football will return. 

As we all know the sports industry has come to a standstill but according to the experienced doctor, stakeholders should understand the pandemic is way bigger than an individual, a club, or some players’ desire to return to action considering that such a hasty decision may have significant health implications and may lead to loss of life.

Ahead of the possibility of a restart, there are more questions than answers. Raheem Sterling, a Manchester City forward, also weighed in on the decision and cast doubt over the tentative return date: June 12.

In an interview with Megan Rapinoe, the United States women’s captain, he expressed his pessimism about the feasibility of the planned return within a short time. On his YouTube channel, he told Rapinoe that a one-and-a-half or two weeks of training isn’t sufficient for players to restart the competition.

According to the prolific forward, players need a maximum of four to five weeks to be fully in shape to restart the league, especially if the competition should restart straightaway after players’ return to action. He emphasized the importance of giving players adequate training before they are asked to do their job.

Throwing his weight behind Raheem Sterling’s stance, Bruce, Newcastle manager, considered the proposed June 12 as not viable. He insisted that such an earlier start will have a massive negative impact on players’ performance. They won’t live up to expectations if they are forced to return to action without adequate preparations.

In a chat with Sunday Telegraph, Bruce explained that managers have been intimated with the plans by Premier League authorities, including the precautions on the ground, and will commence phase one. However, he wasn’t optimistic about getting all the players on the pitch right now.

The manager explained that phase one is focused on fitness, where a maximum of five players will be on a pitch. Then, the league can decide the next step after that is done. He held the long break from action responsible for many people’s pessimistic stance towards a hasty return. According to him, the players have had eight weeks break and there are chances that some players have not had such a long break in their careers.

Citing pre-season as a case study, the manager explained that a pre-season takes about six weeks and players may participate in six friendly matches to keep in shape and ready for the start of the league.

Therefore, the manager believes that players need some time to get back to shape before they restart the league. Otherwise, their performances may be nothing to write home about.

The ongoing call for caution about restarting the league notwithstanding, Aleksander Ceferin, UEFA president, is optimistic about the possibility of most European leagues completing the season.

The Spanish League may resume in June as plans are already on the ground to step up training on Monday. The new training plan allows 10 players to train together. Serie A in Italy has adopted the same approach. However, Holland, France, and Belgium have put an end to their seasons out of the fear of the unknown.

In an interview with beIN Sports, Ceferin explained that UEFA already has a concrete plan to ensure that the European season is completed. According to him, the plan includes playing behind the doors this summer for safety reasons.

He explained that for leagues that won’t continue their seasons, they must play qualifier matches to determine their participation in UEFA competitions. He explained further that considering the current state of things, there are chances that the European season will be completed in August.

On national leagues, Ceferin explained that each league will take an independent decision on how they want their league to proceed while sharing his optimism that at least 80% of the leagues will complete their season. The next few days are very crucial to English football lovers, players, club managers, and football authorities.