Players to trickle back into training, but Premier League continues to put off more difficult decisions

The Premier League took a step forwards in Project Restart as players will start training together from Tuesday. Clubs voted unanimously to resume training in groups of up to five and chief executive Richard Masters said they hope they can play again on June 12, though that date may be moved back, as the drawn-out, controversial process continues and more difficult decisions were postponed until another day. Contact training is not yet permitted and the Premier League is continuing to talk to clubs, plus the British government, the League Managers’ Association and the Professional Footballers’ Association to establish the protocols. Club captains and doctors have also been consulted so far. Uefa have given domestic leagues until May 25 to tell them if and how they intend to conclude the campaigns. There are 92 remaining Premier League matches, with each club having at least nine games to play, and the Premier League is aiming to finish by July 31. Manchester City winger Raheem Sterling said players would need "four to five weeks" of training to get fit, leading to suggestions the Premier League may not play until June 19. Masters said: “We have been focused on this staging post, it’s not a firm commitment, for June 12. What we are able to do today is basically to move forward on small group training. “So we haven’t changed the start date, we have to be flexible about it. What we don’t want to do is continually move that start date. “Next week we are going to be discussing full contact training protocols for that. Once you know when you can start full contact training and we have had a proper discussion with clubs about how much is required to create the fitness levels before they can start playing, we are then in a position to be able to confirm when the season start is. “We will have very similar meetings with players and managers to explain to them how contact training would work and so they can raise their concerns and questions and we can answer any medical concerns they might have." Players will be able to train with teammates this week for the first time in two months, albeit not in the way they used to, with government advice required before they can have contact training. Training sessions have to be 75 minutes or shorter, players will have to arrive in their own training kit and have their temperature taken and there will be no tackling or spitting. All equipment, including balls, corner flags, cones, goalposts, GPS units, boots and gloves, will be regularly disinfected. Footballers will have to drive to training grounds individually, rather than sharing lifts or catching public transport, and will park at least three spaces from each other in designated spots. All clubs are testing their players twice a week for coronavirus and Newcastle United manager Steve Bruce, who said up to 10 of his squad will train at the same time on two separate pitches and will wear snoods while doing so, was reassured that players’ safety is being protected. He told NUFC TV: "It's been a really difficult time, but I hope with the news that phase one is about to start - and I must stress that phase one looks as if it's as safe as it can be - I'm sure everyone will be delighted that we're trying to make that effort. "Everything is in place in the safety aspect. I've got no issues and I can tell the supporters the players and the staff are as safe as we possibly can be. We all understand that this virus isn't going to go away just like that - it's going to hang around a bit, but I think with the protocols in place we'll do everything we possibly can to get up and running again." Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden, a member of Boris Johnson’s Cabinet, believes “good progress” is being made. "I had some very constructive discussions on Thursday with the FA, the EFL and the Premier League," he told Sky Sports . "We are working hard to get it back in mid-June but the number one test is public safety. “They, like a lot of other sports we’re looking at returning behind closed doors, have met with Public Health England several times to look at the safety. If we can sort that out then we will look to resume by mid-June. We’re making good progress.” A Premier League statement read: “Premier League Shareholders today voted unanimously to return to small-group training from tomorrow afternoon, the first step towards restarting the Premier League, when safe to do so.” Premier League director of football Richard Garlick said insurers will accept the liability issues caused by Covid-19. He said: “We have spoken to the insurers both in relation to the liability insurers for the clubs but also indemnity insurance for the doctors. It’s in our protocols. They are content with them." The decision to return to training was expected but it will be harder to get all 20 clubs to sign up to matches returning with relegation-threatened clubs such as Brighton & Hove Albion and Watford being particularly vocal about their reluctance to play again. The Premier League has been officially suspended since March 13, with the last game being Leicester Ciy’s 4-0 win over Aston Villa four days earlier. The German Bundesliga returned this weekend while La Liga and Serie A are slated to come back on June 12.

Players to trickle back into training, but Premier League continues to put off more difficult decisions

Clubs agree to allow training groups up to five as part of Project Restart, but still no decision on when it will be safe to resume league