Marcelo Bielsa on WhatsApp and doctors on call - Liam Cooper on how Leeds United keep in touch

Marcelo Bielsa walking into Thorp Arch before Leeds United sent players home to train as part of their coronavirus measures (Pic: PA)

The head coach has kept in touch with the squad, according to captain Liam Cooper, and the players also have direct access to club medical staff to discuss any concerns during football’s lockdown.

The EFL season was suspended, along with all other domestic leagues and competitions across the globe, in an attempt to stem the outbreak and prevent infection.

It remains uncertain when, or even if, the 2019/20 season will resume, although the game’s authorities have committed to exploring possibilities of doing so, including extending the campaign into the summer.

But football and promotion to the Premier League have taken something of a back seat in the priorities of the club leading the Championship.

Trying to keep the players, their families and the wider Leeds community safe was at the forefront of the decision to send the squad away from their training ground.

And the club remain in constant contact with their playing staff.

“There’s been a lot of communication from Marcelo on the WhatsApp groups,” said Cooper.

“His main message to the boys before we did leave was to stay safe and do what you can to stop this from increasing.

“Everyone realises the seriousness of the infection and what we’ve got to do to slow the curve down. We’ve been in contact with Rob Price and the club doctors, they’ve been unbelievable with the lads, any questions regarding symptoms or what we can do to prevent infection, they’ve been brilliant.

“We can get in touch with them directly for advice and take it from there.

“The communication at the club has been second to none.”

The players are doing their bit to keep spirits high too and have needed no reminders from their captain to stick together.

“As a group we’re trying to stay in touch, we’ve got the Whatsapp group etc,” he said.

“We’ve got to try and keep the spirits high.

“We’re used to seeing each other every day so it’s a lot different. We’ve got a good group. I don’t think I have to go out of my way as captain to keep the group together because we are a close-knit group.

“We understand what’s going on, the current situation.

“We know staying away from each other is for the best, it’s going to save lives ultimately and we’ve got to respect that.

“As a club we took measures pretty early doors and it was definitely the right thing to do.

“We need to get everyone to buy into this and get over this virus together.”

The club’s measures included dropping off exercise bikes and gym equipment with the players in order to facilitate working from home. Cooper admits they won’t be able to maintain the same fitness levels that came from Bielsa’s intensive Thorp Arch regime, but it’s a small price to pay.

“We’ve had bikes dropped off, we can go and do runs as long as we do it on our own,” said the Leeds centre-back.

“We’ve got to stay in shape. We’re not going to be in the same sort of shape if we were training every day but that’s the way it’s got to be.

“We’ve got to listen to the professionals and experts and deal with it together.

“Hopefully, if we do that and listen we can come out on the other end of this.”

Leeds striker Patrick Bamford revealed earlier this week that he still thinks about how this season will end, on a daily basis, while also pointing out that he knows full well the sport’s significance is little in the face of the pandemic.

Cooper too allows himself to think about what could still be for Leeds United.

But it’s a secondary focus, for now.

“I think for now the main thing is to stop the curve, that’s got to be number one,” he said.

“We have to put football to the back of our minds, there’s a much more serious fight on our hands.

“But when we do eventually get rid of this we want to resume and complete the season, complete what we’ve started.

“We’ve put ourselves in an unbelievable position and we want to resume that and finish the job. It’s one we all hold onto daily, every day.

“But right now getting rid of this virus and the health of the public is what’s most important.”