Some Football League players have been taking part in SECRET training sessions to keep fitness levels up during coronavirus shutdown as furloughed stars risk losing government funding
- Footballers who have been furloughed have been completing secret sessions
- Under Government’s scheme furloughed staff must not work for their employers
- Certain clubs have communicated loose training schedules for furloughed stars
- Club management are being careful over staying in touch with their players
- Learn more about how to help people impacted by COVID
Furloughed footballers are completing covert training sessions, leaving their club’s government funding at risk.
Football League clubs have been at pains to keep their players’ secret sessions under wraps so not jeopardise the money they’ll receive from the Government’s Job Retention scheme, which entitles businesses to 80 percent of an employees monthly wage up to £2,500.
But a number of players who have been furloughed are simply not prepared to let their fitness levels fade, despite the fact it breaches the rules that state furloughed staff must not work for their employers during the period.
Furloughed Football League players have been taking part in secret training sessions
Group training in the EFL will not recommence until May 16 at the earliest but furloughed players are not downing tools in the interim, undertaking indoor and outdoor sessions.
Once clubs finally open their headquarters, training will effectively be run as gruelling pre-season sessions. Players fear they will suffer once full training returns if they do not maintain their fitness.
Affected footballers believe they can successfully circumvent the regulations by training at home, while Sportsmail can also reveal players are also completing outdoor cardiovascular work but are not wearing their club issue kits so not raise suspicion.
Despite the government’s social distancing regulations, people are permitted to leave the house to exercise which provides players with an opportunity to maintain their fitness without suspicion.
Sportsmail has learned that clubs have communicated training schedules for furloughed stars
Likewise, Sportsmail has learned that certain clubs have even communicated loose training schedules for their furloughed players to follow. But managers and coaches are not officially monitoring their players’ progress so not to leave any evidence of wrongdoing.
Clubs, like all business, who use the furlough scheme face being audited by the HMRC.
For that reason, club management teams are being extra careful over staying in touch with their playing staff so not to leave tangible evidence of footballers flouting the rules.