News24
25 May 2020, 19:12 GMT+10
Premier League clubs will vote on proposals for a return to contact training on Wednesday as the English top-flight seeks to take another step closer to resuming the season next month.
New UK government guidelines issued on Sunday allow for the return of "close contact" training, including tackling, to help players step up their match fitness ahead of a return to competitive action.
"This type of training would start with smaller 'clusters' of 2-3 athletes and eventually progress to larger groups of 4-12 athletes, and ultimately full team training," added the government advice.
Premier League clubs returned to training in small and socially distanced groups last week.
Players and managers are to be consulted in a meeting on Tuesday before the proposals are put to a vote of the 20 clubs.
Results of the latest round of Covid-19 testing, which is taking place on Monday and Tuesday, will also be published on Wednesday.
The small number of positive tests from the first two rounds of testing at Premier League clubs has raised hopes of a return in June.
Eight cases of coronavirus among players and staff have been detected from 1 744 tests in the Premier League.
In the Championship, just two positive tests were registered from 1 014 tests.
How to proceed in the event of a positive test once contact training has restarted is one of the topics that will be discussed by clubs later this week.
A targeted return date of 12 June was described by Premier League chief executive Richard Masters last week as a "staging post".
Players and coaches have argued they will need until at least the end of June to mitigate the risk of a spate of injuries after such a long layoff.
There has been no action in the Premier League since 9 March.
However, the biggest hurdle to a return remains players' fears over their safety and that of their families due to the virus.
Watford captain Troy Deeney has not returned to training after three positive cases were registered by the Hornets over concerns he could spread the virus to his five-month-old son.
French World Cup winner N'Golo Kante has also been given permission by Chelsea to train at home.
Germany's Bundesliga has already managed to complete two rounds of fixtures since returning behind closed doors and there has been little player opposition to La Liga's plans to return in Spain from 11 June.
"With what's happened in Germany, I've got no doubt the vote will go ahead and the clubs will vote to try to get phase two going," former Liverpool and England midfielder Jamie Redknapp told Sky Sports.
"I also think there'll be a situation where more players will opt out, which is their prerogative, but with the success in Germany - it's not been great, it's not the product we really like, with no fans there, but at least it's football - I'll be very surprised if it doesn't go ahead."
Get a daily dose of Greek Herald news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Greek Herald.
More InformationLONDON, U.K.: British oil giant Shell has denied reports that it is in talks to acquire rival oil company BP. The Wall Street Journal...
LONDON, U.K.: A little-known investment fund based in the United Arab Emirates has emerged as the most prominent public backer of U.S....
SYDNEY, Australia: Australia will not ease its strict biosecurity rules during trade talks with the United States, Prime Minister Anthony...
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 3 (ANI): In a major relief for borrowers, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced that banks...
Washington DC [US], July 3 (ANI): American tech giant Microsoft will lay off nearly 9,000 employees, about 4 per cent of its workforce...
* Indonesia is currently the world's largest producer of nickel and holds the biggest-known reserves of the metal, an essential component...
ISTANBUL/PARIS/BRUSSELS: As searing temperatures blanket much of Europe, wildfires are erupting and evacuation orders are being issued...
SAN FRANCISCO, California: Under pressure from European regulators, Apple has revamped its App Store policies in the EU, introducing...
(250703) -- SEVILLE, July 3, 2025 (Xinhua) -- Tourists walk amid the heatwave in Seville, Spain, July 2, 2025. Spain continues to endure...
Tel Aviv [Israel], July 3 (ANI/TPS): The government of Israel approved the implementation of what it called a broad compensation plan...
Chinese premier to attend 17th BRICS Summit in Brazil, visit Egypt China looks forward to working with all parties to consolidate...
New Delhi [India], July 3 (ANI):Union Home Minister Amit Shah has congratulated the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and all agencies...