Premier League clubs to vote on next stage of Project Restart
Premier League clubs to vote on next stage of Project Restart
MANCHESTER (Reuters) - Premier League clubs will vote on Wednesday over whether to move to the second phase of Project Restart as they intensify efforts to return to full action.
Clubs began training in small groups last week under strict limitations and no contact but Wednesday’s meeting opens the door to a gradual return towards contact training.
Phase Two, if approved, would allow up to 10 players to work together and would ease the time restrictions on training sessions and allow players to be closer.
It would then be hoped to move to a more typical form of training in the third phase, with tackling returning in the build-up to actual games.
The league was consulting with players and managers on Tuesday and then plans to hold a vote on the next step during a conference call on Wednesday.
All plans remain contingent on the number of players testing positive for the coronavirus staying low.
The second round of testing returned two positives — with Bournemouth saying one of their players was now self-isolating. The first batch returned six cases.
No matches have been played in the Premier League since March, but the government has given the green light for elite sport to resume from June 1, including the top-flight football.
