Toon players keeping a close watch on their fitness levels

NEWCASTLE United players know they will be fined if they are overweight - and Jonjo Shelvey believes he is ‘probably even fitter now’ than when lockdown started.

The squad were sent away from the training ground on March 13 with their own individual training programmes to carry out in their homes after football operations at the club’s Benton base were shut down because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Each player was given a GPS watch, which records their heart rate and activity, and this data can be monitored remotely by club staff.

Although the first few weeks of remote training were quite strenuous, it is understood the programmes have since been scaled back a little given the uncertainty surrounding when football will actually resume. Shelvey, who started pre-season training just a few days after the previous season ended last summer, has been among those to benefit.

He said: “I am probably even fitter now than when lockdown started. I have been training three times a day.

“We all get watches and it downloads automatically on to the club’s system and shows what you have been doing.

“As a footballer, you cannot get away with not putting the work in. If you are overweight you are fined.

“You also don’t want to be the one who falls behind in the running. It is important you stay on top of that.

“I have seen a few of the lads out running but you have to keep a social distance so we just nod and wave at each other. “