‘Business as usual’ for Luton despite coronavirus outbreak

Luton boss Graeme Jones believes the training pitch is currently the safest place for his squad after coronavirus brought the English Football League to a standstill.

The Sky Bet Championship club are taking precautions to keep their facilities at the Brache as hygienic as possible, including spreading players out across four dressing rooms.

The Hatters are trying to keep the squad as fit as possible, while the sessions will boost the players’ immune systems.

Jones said, in quotes posted on Luton’s official website: “It’s just business as usual, without the games. It was a club decision to continue to train, to keep levels of fitness up.

“These boys are social animals by nature. Young, vibrant men, and I’m sure they would think about having a coffee in a Starbucks somewhere.

“So one, we’re reducing that risk, we want to protect them and their families, so they’re in an environment where they’re getting regular checks every day.

“Also, moderate training helps your immune system, making sure we’re still controlling, certainly one or two meals a day from a nutritional point of view, so that’s the main thinking behind it from a Luton Town point of view.

“We’ve spread the players out across four changing rooms now, and when you’re out on that big open pitch with fresh air it’s a place where, I’m not saying it’s safe, but it’s a safer place than confined spaces.”

Jones, who was “delighted” with the EFL’s decision to postpone all matches, added that his squad currently has a “clean bill of health”.