Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has told his players that they will not be forced to train if they have doubts about returning amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Premier League clubs were allowed to reconvene this week to conduct non-contact training sessions but there have been concerns expressed by some players such as Watford captain Troy Deeney and Manchester City striker Raheem Sterling.
Chelsea manager Frank Lampard came out in support of Deeney this week, saying that empathy needs to be show to players who may be worried.
Klopp also wanted to put his players' minds at ease.
"Usually you sign a contract and then you have to be in when I tell you," Klopp said on Sky Sports.
"In this case if you don't feel safe, you don't have to be here and there's no restrictions, no punishment, nothing.
"So it's just, that's your own decision and we will respect that one-hundred per cent.
"The boys are fine. We would never put anybody in danger."
Smiles all round 😀❤️
...and some new hairstyles 😁 pic.twitter.com/8xbOusN5jw— Liverpool FC (@LFC) May 20, 2020
All 20 clubs unanimously agreed to stage one of the return-to-training protocols at Monday's "Project Restart" meeting.
As well as social distancing rules being adhered to, players must only train in groups of no more than five players at a time while the sessions must last no longer than 75 minutes per player.
The Premier League has been in shutdown since early March but it is hoping to restart the season sometime in mid-June.
As it stands the Reds are 25 points clear at the top of the table with nine games to play and needing just two more wins to secure their first top flight title in thirty years.
Klopp told the official club website that it felt like he was going back to school today.
"I woke up even earlier than usual and then I realised it was my first day.
"It felt like the first day at school - for me, it was 46 years ago, but it must have been similar.
"I dressed myself in my uniform again - and for the right reason, for going to training."
