Premier League chief executive Richard Masters has revealed that they are ‘as confident as we can be’ over restarting the current campaign in June.
As clubs welcomed players back to their respective training grounds this week, early results revealed that there were six positive coronavirus tests across three clubs in over 700 tests.
With measures still in place to battle the pandemic and to keep players safe, there are still concerns as N’Golo Kante will resume training away from the rest of the Chelsea squad while Troy Deeney publicly revealed that he wouldn’t return to training over health concerns for his son with Watford reporting some of those positive cases.
The Premier League has been suspended since March 13, but as they gradually move towards getting the season back underway with June 12 touted as a possible restart date, Masters has now confirmed that there is confidence that the campaign will be able to resume next month.
“I think we’re as confident as we can be. There is some momentum. We’ve taken the first step,” Masters told BBC Sport.
“It’s great for everybody, including the fans, to see our players back on the training ground.”
Masters added that they will have to be flexible with that resumption date as it depends on the progression of contact training, while he also stressed that they shouldn’t ‘underestimate’ the financial concerns involved in the situation but dismissed suggestions that wealth is being prioritised over health.
Further, he acknowledged concerns from some players but insists that they’ve done everything they can to make it safe for them and their families to protect them and to allow them to return to training, while he revealed that they’re working to get all 92 remaining games televised and perhaps through different distribution avenues while suggesting fans could be back at stadiums next season.
However, as seen in the video below, Masters did concede that curtailment is still a possibility as ultimately they will be guided by the government and their actions moving forward as the UK looks to move out of the lockdown and begins to start easing some of the restrictions and measures currently in place in the coming weeks and months.
Asked Premier League chief Richard Masters here if he understands why some clubs worse affected by positive Covid-19 tests – or players refusing to train – may argue relegation should be scrapped, especially those in danger of the drop.
Says “curtailment” will be discussed. pic.twitter.com/3FRJ9VV5nh— Dan Roan (@danroan) May 23, 2020
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