Pro booters start training next month

The setup of venues and protocols have been approved as well

Professional football players are expected to start training next month after the Games and Amusements Board (GAB) gave the Philippine Football League (PFL) the green light to start preparations.

PFL Commissioner Coco Torre said they are just waiting for the final clearance from various local government units (LGU) to reopen training facilities.

“We’re now just awaiting clearance from the LGU before they can start training. It is actually a part of the JAO (joint administrative order) agreement,” Torre said.

“The setup of venues and protocols have been approved as well. Maybe this March, teams can start training.”

While the league won’t start until May, United City FC and Kaya Iloilo FC need to train earlier for the AFC Champions League and qualifiers in April.

The Blue Pitch Circuit in Makati City, eyed as training ground for Kaya and Maharlika Manila FC, had already been inspected by GAB.

Meanwhile, other venues such as the PFF National Training Center in Carmona, Cavite and Biñan Football Stadium in Laguna will be inspected by GAB early next month.

Torre said that the league will still follow similar safety measures and training guidelines provided by the Inter-Agency Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases last year.

Part of the safety protocols include limited number of players during training and a strict training interval for each team.

“We will follow pretty much the same setup as before, teams will have to schedule their training sessions.”

“With these developments, we’re just hoping that things would go well,” Torre added.