‘Chelsea won’t push players’

Chelsea boss Frank Lampard accepts clubs cannot expect players to “push and push” themselves during the coronavirus pandemic – with no concrete timetable as to when football will return.

The Blues squad continue to train at home during the lockdown initiated by the government.

The current target date for a resumption of games from April 30 appears very optimistic.

Lampard, though, feels there is little else everyone at the club can do but try to stay focused.

“It is very difficult at the moment because we have got nothing concrete in front of us,” Lampard said.

“We have seen that things can change very quickly, so we can only go by the dates we have been given.

“But daily or probably weekly we are looking at it, saying: ‘well, how do we train?’

“The last thing I want to do at this moment when the players are in this position when we don’t know when the games are going to be is to try and push (them) for no reason.”

Lampard knows this is a testing period for everyone.

He said:“I’ve just let them know I am there for them because these are tough times whether it’s emotionally, physically, everything – we have to be there for the players.”