Rob Price reveals extent of Leeds United's planning for country's fight against coronavirus

LEEDS UNITED'S head of medicine and performance Rob Price says the Whites started preparing for the country's battle with coronavirus at the end of January.
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Prime Minister Boris Johnson did not place the country on full lockdown in the fight against COVID-19 until March 23 by which point United's players had already been training from home for the best part of a week.

But Price says the club's work into dealing with the pandemic actually began two months even earlier after seeing the effects of coronavirus in China where the virus began.

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"We actually started preparing at the end of January," said Price, speaking to the BBC.

PREPARED: Leeds United skipper Liam Cooper upon the return to training at Thorp Arch. Picture by Leeds United.PREPARED: Leeds United skipper Liam Cooper upon the return to training at Thorp Arch. Picture by Leeds United.
PREPARED: Leeds United skipper Liam Cooper upon the return to training at Thorp Arch. Picture by Leeds United.

"We saw what was coming out of China and then we had equipment delivered and ready so they (the players) got sent a programme every single day that was then monitored.

"We had a look with the GPS.

"There was some that was just fitness work, we wanted to do some change of directions, some speed work and actually some football work.

"All the players took a ball home and one of the big things we were worried about when they came back, if they hadn't kicked a ball for three months those actions are going to overload the system and lead to injury."

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