TRAIN IN MOTION.. Clubs get go-ahead to meet in groups of 15
LEAGUE OF IRELAND clubs can train in groups of 15 rather than five from Monday as confidence over a season restart gathers pace.
Dundalk, Shamrock Rovers, Bohemians and Derry City – as the league’s European representatives – officially return to the training ground that morning.
Up to now, managers and coaches at those clubs were planning for non-contact sessions in small groups of five.
A green light was given yesterday morning to double that number to 10 while still adhering to strict non-contact measures.
But FAI medical chief Dr
Alan Byrne revised the figure again after Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s (inset) surprise announcement yesterday evening that 15 people can meet for outdoor sport.
That figure must include coaches so it will be at each club’s discretion how they make up their respective groups.
Social distancing will remain in play and the sessions must be conducted on a stringent ‘15 in, 15 out’ rotation basis.
Clubs are not permitted to have, say, two groups of 15 operating on site at the one time so squads will have to arrive for training on a staggered basis.
The next round of Covid-19 testing takes place on that Monday and then again on Thursday.
The first two batches of tests among players and staff at those four clubs all returned negative results.
Yesterday’s acceleration in easing lockdown restrictions has further fuelled expectations that the season will resume sooner rather than later. There remains every chance that the Premier Division will continue without all 10 of its current participants.
But the majority of clubs are eagerly awaiting details – most likely on Thursday – of the FAI financial package for initial behind-closed-doors action.
Mirror Sport understands that UEFA and at least one other outside agency have stepped up in the last week to help get a resumption over the line.
Five of the Premier Division clubs have been hugely sceptical up to now, but senior FAI figures remain bullish about the package that has so much riding on it.
“It’s beginning to formulate and we hope to have some positive news for the clubs in a week or so,” said interim FAI deputy CEO Niall Quinn yesterday.