Massimo Luongo’s Sheffield Wednesday restart concerns: “I would never forgive myself…”

Luongo, 27, has enjoyed a steady first season at Hillsborough since his move from Queens Park Rangers, playing 18 Championship game prior to the postponement of football due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

Now, with Garry Monk and his players expected back on May 25th ahead of a potential return to action in mid-June, the Australian international admits that he thinks more time is needed.

Speaking to Yorkshire Live, Luongo said, "We have had longer off than what we would have done in the off season. I know we have all been trying to stay fit from home but we need games to get fit…

"I can't see how we are going to start again on June 13 or whatever they set out, I don't think it is realistic that teams will be ready or fully fit.

"Will we have a month of preparing or will we still be social distancing? How is it going to work? There is a lot to sort out and we are going to need like a mini pre-season before we get going again."

He also spoke of the challenges and fears of stepping into the next phase of training – which will include physical contact, saying, “What I think does worry people is the next stage and how we incorporate tackling or groups of 11… Even I am worried about that, because I don't know what the other players are doing outside of the training ground.

Read: Monk - Sheffield Wednesday players ‘deserve those contracts’

"I can't control that and if it goes back to my family then I would never forgive myself. I think that is the alarming bit. At the moment, I feel reassured, but going forward I am a little sceptical about how things will work.

"With the way things are going, I don't see how we can get from this stage to playing a full game. It doesn't seem realistic at the moment if we can't tackle or mark players but I am sure they will set up guidelines and prepare us for that.”