Portsmouth boss: We're planning training return - and can keep players safe from coronavirus

And he has pencilled in the squad for a return to their Roko base next week.

Following five cases of the pandemic within the Blues’ squad, festive fixtures against Swindon and Bristol Rovers have been postponed.

In addition, the club’s Hilsea-based training ground has been off limits since Sunday, with the gates padlocked.

The venue had offered a safe environment since the summer, with subsequently no coronavirus cases.

However, since Friday, Whatmough and four of his team-mates have tested positive after travelling to Hull for a League One fixture.

The Blues’ training ground will now be cleaned - before welcoming back the players sometime next week.

Jackett told The News: ‘The training ground has been shut all week.

‘We were working off two or three people having symptoms at the start of the week and not feeling as if they could train. So the right thing to do was test everybody.

‘There is now conclusive evidence that we must close the training ground – and we’ll see if we can pick it up next week when everybody has had a break.

‘They are very good with cleaning it regularly, I have no concerns over that. It is pretty covid-free anyway.

‘We are hopeful of being back next week at some stage.

‘With the next two games called off, it can quite naturally clear up next week and hopefully we can work towards the Accrington game a week on Saturday.

‘You have to adapt to each situation within your club, that’s the important thing.’

Football League clubs on the whole do not conduct regular coronavirus testing on its players, unlike the Premier League.

As a consequence, cases in all three divisions have noticeably been on the rise during December.

This month Sunderland, Rotherham, Millwall, Ipswich and Bristol Rovers have all called matches off because of coronavirus.

In the case of Ipswich, manager Paul Lambert contracted the virus. Although Jackett this week returned a negative when he took the test along with Pompey’s players and back room staff.

But the Blues boss wouldn’t be drawn on whether more testing is required.

Jackett added: ‘We have to think on our feet, take the common sense approach, be open and honest with the EFL and ask for help where it is needed.

‘We must make sure we have a duty of care to our players.

‘We have now made strides in the right direction to clear it up and make sure that, as a squad, we get over this and don’t get any more problems.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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