Ayub Timbe's Reading FC manager Mark Bowen has revealed the club has called off their training sessions until further notice due to the coronavirus.
Bowen said they were active in training for the better part of last week and made the decision to halt those sessions as a safety measure to help avoid their players contracting Covid-19.
“And as the week went on, we made a decision to carry on training the best we could and we had good numbers, 20 odd players, and we had some really good training sessions on Monday and the Tuesday,” Bowen was quoted by the club's website as saying.
“They had Wednesday off, and on Thursday a couple more players had a few cold symptoms – and we didn’t want to take any chances with any of the players so they stayed at home.
“The guys who have been in training last week have been really professional. The sessions have been a bit subdued at the start – probably because they’ve got the more important things on their mind.
“But as the sessions have gone on there’s been a good feeling, they’ve been able to forget some of the worries of the world and have enjoyed the football they are playing.
“And they really have worked hard. But on Friday we made a decision to tell the players to stay at home for at least this week.
“Of course, it could change again – if the guidance is to stay away or I'm getting phone calls that six or seven players have come down with symptoms, we might have to change our plans again.”
The coach further explained the kind of drills they were undertaking during the training sessions, having in mind their game against Stoke City had been already postponed.
“We had meetings on a daily basis and you try to give them assurances with the club doctors giving them advice, supplying them with as much information as we can,” added the manager.
“The sessions themselves, we tried to take the tactical element out of the training and make it more like a school playground – just telling them to go and enjoy their football.
“You can’t go through too much tactically because you don’t know when you might be playing your next game, who it might be against and how long that information can stick in their heads for. So, we just tried to keep it really bright and the enthusiasm high.”
The manager further expressed confidence the world will soon defeat the pandemic in order for activities, including football, to resume.
“And together we’ve just got to fight our way through it. Hopefully, things get better sooner rather than later and football gets underway again - and with performances and results we can get our fans smiling again and forgetting the troubles of the world,” Bowen concluded.
Kenya's international Timbe is yet to get a goal for his new side, which he joined in January, although he has often been on the bench.