Darren Moore gives an update on Doncaster Rovers squad as players self-isolate amid Covid outbreak

Five Rovers players have tested positive for the virus but are all currently in good health according to the manager.

Four of their fixtures so far have been postponed with the entire squad currently self-isolating and, as things stand, set to report back for training on January 5.

And only then will the impact of the virus on those who have experienced it be known.

“You can come through the isolation period but these are finely tuned athletes who are pushing their bodies to the absolute limit,” Moore told the Free Press.

“This virus we know is affecting people in different ways.

“We have to have an open mind perspective in terms of each individual when they come back in. How are they during the sessions? After the sessions? What is the reaction after a day or two?

“We’re quite open and we feel we’ve got the expertise to handle these situations.

“Right now they are all fine.

“Speaking to them, there doesn’t seem to be any symptoms like what you’ve heard going around.

“They’re fine and they’re in good spirits.

“We’re just trying to work through this isolation period for them so that if they can come through unscathed we can start looking to get back together and back on the training pitch to work towards the rest of the fixtures ahead.”

Moore admits he is not too concerned about the impact missing more than a week of training will have on the remainder of the squad - as long as the isolation period is limited to ten days.

“We feel if we can get them back in after ten days then we don’t think they’ll lose much physical fitness,” he said.

“Once it starts going over two to three weeks, that’s when you start to lose it.

“Potentially what they may lose is a bit of sharpness from the every day contact on the training pitch.

“Individually they can work at home and work on their own core strength. Some of them have got gym equipment at home and they can be working on that.

“But if we can get them back in after this ten day period then we can resume some work with them and they won’t have lost too much.

“It’s isolation for them so they’ve got to follow the protocols and they are doing just that.”

The Rovers boss reiterated that the health and safety of his players remains his number one priority.

He said: “That has to prevail in things like this. That was the first and most important thing going into Saturday.

“And fixtures after that have been cancelled because of the scale of what it was started to unfold.

“We’ve followed the protocol and done the right procedures.

“Hopefully if everyone comes through okay over the next few days, we can get back to it and get back to work next week.”

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In these confusing and worrying times, local journalism is more vital than ever. Thanks to everyone who helps us ask the questions that matter by taking out a subscription or buying a paper. We stand together. Nancy Fielder, editor.