Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Barry Bannan has admitted that returning to training feels like coming back into pre-season.
The Premier League was the first league in England to announce that matches were set to start from 17th June onwards, following the forced suspension in mid-March, following which the Championship announced 20th June as a provisional return date.
The Owls returned to phased training sessions last week with the aim of getting their players' fitness levels up following a nine-week football hiatus.
Bannan insists that although he got time to spend with family, he missed the competitive edge of training sessions, though he fully accepts the reason for the break.
The central midfielder also revealed that being back at club training sessions feels a lot like the return to pre-season.
The 30-year-old told Sheffield Wednesday’s official site: “The only way you can describe it really is like it’s coming back into pre-season.
"You can’t get too close to anyone or anything like that but we know the circumstances and understand the situation so until further notice that’s what we will have to adhere to.
“We had gone nine weeks without training so it was a long time and you have to build back up.
"I spent time with my family but then after a while you miss that competitiveness of training and your daily routine."
Sheffield Wednesday boss Garry Monk has called for players to be given another full week to prepare for the season restart and wants the Championship to begin a week after the Premier League.
He told BBC Look North: "In my opinion, from a welfare point of view and from what we've believed all the way through in what we were doing – we've always believed we were working a week behind the Premier League – so I think that should happen."
