Drogheda training is on hold
DROGHEDA United manager Tim Clancy says he’ll wait for directions from the club before making arrangements to resume first-team training in the coming days or weeks.
Under the FAI’s plan for a return to soccer activity, the Boynesiders will be permitted to train in groups of up to 15 from next Monday, but they won’t necessarily be taking up that opportunity from day one.
Explaining the situation yesterday (Monday), Clancy said: ‘We can’t go back training until we know what’s happening.
‘Should we get the go-ahead to start then we need to make sure all our facilities meet the requirements in terms of health and safety, but it’s not just about the Covid restrictions.
‘There’s a financial aspect as well because clubs have not had any income for three months and if training starts up then players will have to go back on full wages.
‘So the club will let me know when we’ll be going back and what facilities we will use.
‘I have spoken to the players. Every time we get new information - proper information, not just hearsay - we let them know what’s happening.’
Clancy insisted he wasn’t too concerned about players’ fitness levels after three months of inactivity other than the personal programmes they’ve been following.
‘‘We’ll need to do ball-related stuff to get sharper,’ he said, ‘but it’s the same for every club and what we do with our recruitment is get players who look after themselves. The vast majority of them keep themselves in really good nick and that will be a benefit to us when it comes to matchday.
‘I’m looking forward to getting back in. We all want to be playing football and out there on the training pitch.’