By Daily Sports on May 19, 2020

Surprise inspections, GPS tracking and video analysis are methods that could be used to ensure clubs adhere to new safety guidance as they prepare for the resumption of the Premier League.

Teams agreed to start non-contact training in small groups from Tuesday.

“Gradually, we aim to ramp that up so we can have an inspector at every training ground,” said Richard Garlick, the league’s director of football.

“That will enable us to give confidence the protocols are being complied with.”

He added: “We are looking at bringing in our own independent audit inspection team that we’ll scale up over the next few days which will give us the ability to have inspections at training grounds to start with on a no-notice basis.”

After Monday’s ‘Project Restart’ meeting with clubs, Richard Masters, Premier League’s chief executive, also revealed that a trophy presentation for the title winners, likely to be Liverpool, remains part of the plans.

He said: “We would try to do it unless it wasn’t possible because of safety concerns.”

At the meeting, Premier League clubs agreed to stage one of the return-to-training protocols. As well as training in small groups of no more than five, sessions must last no longer than 75 minutes for each player. Social distancing must be adhered to.

The first stage “has been agreed in consultation with players, managers, club doctors, independent experts and the government”.

The league had previously identified 12 June for matches to possibly start again, but there is now an expectation this will need to be pushed back.

A Premier League statement added: “Strict medical protocols of the highest standard will ensure everyone returns to training in the safest environment possible.

“The health and wellbeing of all participants is the Premier League’s priority, and the safe return to training is a step-by-step process.

“Full consultation will now continue with players, managers, clubs, the PFA [Professional Footballers’ Association] and LMA [League Managers’ Association] as protocols for full-contact training are developed.”

All Premier League clubs carried out coronavirus tests on Sunday and Monday and the Premier League will announce on Tuesday how many, if any, positive tests were recorded.

On Monday, the Premier League’s medical adviser Mark Gillett said that discussions will take place in the coming weeks over whether clubs would have to isolate in a hotel for 14 days before play resumes, as happened in Germany before the Bundesliga restart.

Also on Monday, a survey of 138 Premier League and English Football League doctors and physiotherapists found more than half “do not fully understand their roles, responsibilities and potential liabilities” regarding return to training.

Source Daily Sports

Posted May 19, 2020

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