Harry Diamond
The Premier League are continuing to make ambitious plans to finish the remainder of the current season with the latest preparations including coronavirus testing kits at training grounds and behind closed doors fixtures.
England’s leading clubs are said to be hopeful of having access to the testing technology within their training grounds after the government pledged more equipment for general use by the end of the month, even though there has so far been a woefully low testing rate in the UK to date, with sides said to be preparing for the possibility of returning to training in mid-May ahead of a resumption of the season in June.
According to The Mirror, a number of clubs have informed their players to be prepared to return to training next month, with a ‘mini pre-season’ being conducted before finishing the Premier League season in a short ‘four or five week’ timeframe.
The plans, of course, remain ambitious with the ongoing pandemic still steeped in uncertainty, the UK’s lockdown laws highly-likely to be extended, with the country still to reach the peak of cases for the virus.
Premier League clubs are under huge pressure to finish the remainder of the season amid the financial implications of a cancelled campaign, with around £750m of already distributed television revenue potentially needing to be paid back to broadcasters.
Concerns also remain – in particular from the players union, the PFA – over a safe return to football morally. The scenario of behind closed doors fixtures does not come without risk while there remains the dilemma of utilising medical and police officials in what is an unessential capacity.
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