Rotherham United’s Paul Warne braced for ‘difficulties to overcome’ on return to training

A host of protocols will be in place at training grounds across the land for a good while and like many managers, Rotherham United manager Paul Warne is preparing for a brave new world.

He said: “In Germany, they first did it in groups of two and came in and trained for an hour, brought their own kit and no buildings were open, trained and then went home.

“We have already worked out for us that it would be 15 minutes with Ross (Burbeary), the warm-up guy, 15 minutes with me and 15 with Hammy (Matt Hamshaw) and then a rota basis.

“It is not like we have 10 good pitches, but two and we’d have to manage it. From the lads’ point of view and ours, just getting a feel of the ball would be a treat and they’d enjoy it.

“But it will be different. There will be difficulties to overcome.”

Warne has expressed scepticism about the hopes of lower-division football returning this season, with the Premier League and Championship likely to be better placed in their ability to resume.

Should football make its comeback any time soon, the Millers chief is making another prediction.

“Ironically, when the product starts again, I think the games will be all over the place,” he added.

“There won’t be the same intensity and quality. I cannot see how it could be. The top lads who are in the Champions League could be virtually playing a game every four days.

“They won’t be training and will be playing all the time. Now they could have gone virtually three months without a game.

“It will be a little bit like at the start of the season where there’s a few shocks and results where you think: ‘wow, how has that happened?’”