'It'll be like Christmas morning' as Derry City return to training - says coach Marty McCann

The players and staff will undergo a third batch of coronavirus testing and have temperature checks this morning at Aileach FC in Burnfoot, before being permitted to train under the supervision of the club's designated Covid-19 officer.

Players must adhere to strict social distancing rules, arrive in their training kit and shower at home as non-contact small group training gets underway under the new guidelines.

It's a significant step forward in the FAI's safer return to football programme as Derry, along with the other three European qualified teams, Shamrock Rovers, Dundalk and Bohemians all officially return to the training pitch following two successful rounds of coronavirus testing.

Derry first team coach, McCann shared his excitement at getting back, claiming he can't wait to get on the pitch with a ball at his feet and explained how the club will comply with the new health and safety protocols in place.

"It should be like Christmas morning and everyone will be excited to get going again," he said. "It's given everyone a time to reflect about life and their career and what direction they want their career to go in. So hopefully people will come back with a good mindset and ready to work.

"For me personally, from the age of six it's probably the longest I haven't been kicking a ball about or have a ball at my feet. So even I can't wait to strike a few balls about even at my grand old age," he laughed.

"Even to go out and smell the grass again, you don't even care if it's raining or hail stones, it's just about getting back out there. There's no place like it - that energy about a training pitch and amongst a group of footballers who are trying to succeed in their profession. It's exciting!

"While we don't know exactly what's going to happen with the league, as far as the training is concerned I'm sure the boys will be all happy, smiley faces with loads of good energy to get back at it and get their boots back on.

"It won't have been easy for footballers," he added. "It's three months they won't get back in their careers. You didn't know from one day to the next what was happening. We didn't know if it would be a week, six months or a year out - we were all in the dark. But there seems to be a good bit of light now at the end of the tunnel and you're starting to look over sessions again and discussing what we can do and how to do it under the guidelines.

"Hopefully it won't be long before we're back playing in the league and we get supporters in and get back to the way it was before."

Rigourous health and hygiene protocols will be in place as the players arrive at their training base this morning. Social distancing will be observed and McCann explained coaches will have to get creative with training drills and exercises during the first couple of weeks.

"We have to get our temperatures taken before we leave the house and when we get there we have to have a Covid test and they take our temperatures again. All the equipment has been cleaned and disinfected. Nobody is taking any chances and we're following all the guidelines.

"There's a Covid officer and the doctor and nobody will be allowed to leave their cars when the tests are getting done until they are called out. So it's going to be interesting.

"But hearing people striking a few footballs and getting a few runs done will be great."

The initial sessions will take extra measures to ensure the players are in proper physical shape with precautions taken to avoid any muscle injuries given the three month lay-off.

"It will be groups of five to start off with anyway," explained McCann. "It's hard to gauge what level they will all be at coming back initially. So the likes of Michael Hegarty (club physio) will play a key role in helping reduce the risk of injury.

"So injury prevention will be very important during the first couple of days. It's basically about preparing the players, mentally and physically for a normal training week.

"We'll be out on the pitch and I'm just looking forward to getting that energy back and having an environment where the boys are back together and playing. It was stopped abruptly. We were out on the pitch at the Brandywell and then told we have to stop and then we basically haven't seen any of them up until a few days ago when the Covid tests started.

"They're all a good bunch of lads and we just want to get back and try and create a good environment again and get everything up and running again.

"We'll do fitness tests later this week to see where they are in relation to what intensity we will work at from next week on. We know the players we have and their capabilities so we can work on a system of play and tactics and things like that.

"Hopefully the concentration levels are high and the boys get straight back in to do their work. I'm sure they will. They've had a long enough time off and I'm sure they're chomping at the bit to get back at it."

As there will be no contact in training sessions for now, McCann insists there will be no shortage of ways to keep the sessions entertaining.

"In England after a week they had contact between players in training but basically it won't be high intensity. As long as it's intense as far as getting their touches right, getting them running with the ball, moving while maintaining that two metres distance. It's about getting a feel of it and up to speed as much as we can.

"Hopefully next week or the week after we can be in bigger groups with contact and we can do a lot more. But the important thing is getting them all back together and they can all see each other and we can recreate that atmosphere about the group.

"Obviously you're limited in the work you can do but there's plenty you can do with and without the ball. Obviously you have your strength and condition to start with, your agility and technical work and then hopefully you can do combination plays and tactical work and crossing and finishing and have runners from midfield etc.

"There's bits and pieces but obviously the sport we play involves contact and people like closing people down and having solutions to tight situations in tight areas where they're getting opposed. However, most of it is going to be unopposed and it will be limited.

"Hopefully the way things are going we can be in the full swing of things but in the meantime we have to use a bit of imagination. Thankfully I have good experience working with smaller groups with younger ages when I was working with the IFA.

"So with the experience I've gained working with smaller groups of four or five and breaking the game down, working with different combination plays will help. It's easy at a younger age to work with smaller groups. With the older ones it will be about keeping their energy and enthusiasm up where they're not working with all their teammates so you have to get imaginative."