Lockdown watch: Preston boss Alex Neil is keeping a close eye on squad’s well-being

Alex Neil says the mental health of his Preston players has been just as important as their physical fitness during football’s suspension.
Alex NeilAlex Neil
Alex Neil

Regular checks are made on the PNE squad to see how they are coping, both with the fitness programmes and from a point of view of dealing with the lockdown.

It is six weeks since North End last played and nearly five weeks since the players last trained at Springfields.

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When it became clear that the country would be going into lockdown because of the Covid-19 outbreak, the squad were advised to be with family and not to live alone.

Speaking to North End’s official website, Neil said: “Most of the ones with families are fine because their kids will occupy them.

“Most of the younger lads have got a girlfriend, or we encouraged them before the lockdown to go back and be with their parents or a family member.

“I don’t think we have any who are solely on their own, which is a good thing, because that would be difficult.”

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While the nation’s focus is on dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic, football like any business, is looking at ways to get started again when safe to do so.

The EFL has written to clubs outlining a provisional plan which would obviously need Government approval.

That would see a return to training on May 16 ahead of the season resuming on the weekend of June 6.

If that was possible, the season – including the play-offs –could be played to a finish by early August.

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PNE have taken that plan on board and Neil says it is good to have something to work towards after a few weeks of uncertainty.

Neil said: “The biggest difficulty that the players and I had to begin with was being in limbo, not knowing when we would be coming back or when the restart date was going to be.

“Now there has been a date set for us potentially to come back, that allows us to put a plan in place and allows the players to focus on that date and get ready to come back.

“If you don’t have that date, it is really difficult because you normally work towards a Saturday.

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“In the off season you work towards the first day of pre-season.

“With that date being set, mentally as much as anything, it was really big for everybody.

“It was important, especially for me, because we have to put a plan in place where we try to maintain fitness.

“Everybody is at different levels and have played different game times and it becomes tough.

“Now we have a five week period where we can implement a plan and get everybody ready for when we come back.”

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