Bruce eyes six week pre-season to get his players up to speed

Steve Bruce has revealed when he believes his Newcastle United team can return to the field.

Bruce’s players are set to return to training on Tuesday in small groups ahead of a proposed behind-closeddoors restart for the Premier League, which was suspended in March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Top-flight clubs are expected to agree on protocols and safeguards for the first phase of a training.

"We've listened to what has been said and, with the precautions taken, we will get back to work and start phase one," Bruce told the Daily Telegraph. "Can we get to that stage where we can have all the players on the pitch together? We don't know yet. Phase one will be mainly fitness work, four or five players on a pitch. Let's see how we get on."

Bruce, looking for a sixweek pre-season, believes a mid-June restart is unrealistic given that his players have been at home for more than two months. "We need enough preparation time to get these players into shape, or they are just going to fall down like a pack of cards,” said Bruce.

"Most of the managers have the same concerns. We would need at least six weeks. I don't see how we can play games until late June."

United defender Danny Rose has voiced reservations about a summer return to the field, and any players who don’t feel safe will have the law on their side if they refuse to return to work.

"If a player refuses to come in or play, I have sympathy for that and would understand it,” said Bruce. “Most of my players are happy with it.

"There was a captain's meeting the other day as well and as a squad they are happy with the measures that are being put in place. You have to respect everybody's personal views on it."

Meanwhile, Former Newcastle defender Grant Hanley has voiced his “concerns” about a summer Premier League restart.

“I think the overall feeling is that players have got concerns,” Hanley said. “There’s just so much uncertainty.

“Looking at the protocols for going back to training, I think that’s probably fair enough. But it’s just the next step after that, like where do we go from there? In terms of going back into contact training and games.

“It’s just so difficult to see five or six days in front of us or anything past that.”