Skaters will be ready if new season faces off says Sheffield Steelers' coach
This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement.
and live on Freeview channel 276
The prospect of a condensed tournament remains on the table - although the likelihood reduces with every Covid-ravaged week that passes.
However, if play does resume, and the Government follows through with its £4m 'winter survival' pledge, what fitness levels can fans watching streamed videos expect to see in February or March?
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdThe Government has wanted assurances that the standard of play can be characterised as "elite" - even though many of the EIHL players have not been in action since the final game of last season.
And fans will be more attracted to the shelling out for pay-per-view games, if the players are fit and ready to perform at near maximum levels.
Coach Fox admits any training camp "would be minimal" - but says that won't detract too much from the expected standard.
"All the guys that I have been in touch with have all been real professionals and wouldn't have an issue in getting into it, quite quickly" he said.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad"Maybe the first week of games might not be the perfect standard, fitness-wise, but you just have to take what you get there. You can't nit-pick.
"Generally, it will be a good standard of play though, there is no question about that."
All of it depends on talks between the EIHL and a board of Government-selected men and women who are studying the viability of such a tournament.
Sadly, talks will now not be reconvening until January 29, after the decision-making panel postponed their last virtual meeting with the EIHL.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdThe panel is an eight-person administration chaired by Sir Ian Cheshire, former Chairman of Barclays Bank, and also includes Denise Lewis, OBE, British sports presenter and
Olympic heptathlon gold medalist and Lord Patel of Bradford, Chairman of Social Work England.
*Last year Steelers' defencemen Marek Troncinsky and James Bettauer were on the scoresheet for their respective clubs, last weekend (Ravensburg and Gyergyói HK.)