Solskjaer: United stars shouldn't play if they're not 'mentally ready'
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Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer won't force members of his squad to play if they're troubled by concerns about the coronavirus crisis.
"You wouldn't hold anything against them - if a player is not mentally ready to play, I don't think we could force anyone," Solskjaer told Sky Sports News, according to The Guardian's Jamie Jackson. "They've not raised too many concerns, but of course we trust the experts, the health officers."
Solskjaer is excited to play Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford with January arrival Bruno Fernandes after the pair overcame their respective injuries. But he admits he'll need to adjust his style on the training pitches in order to adhere to social distancing regulations and reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19.
"You're used to the connection with the boys, shaking hands, giving them a hug," he said. "Now with all this, that's gone. So, that's my main concern: how we get back and how we're going to build that environment again."
The likely scenario of playing matches behind closed doors will also take some getting used to, but Solskjaer believes staging matches of any kind will be beneficial for supporters.
"Whatever they decide, it's going to be a boost for everyone to get football back on," the Norwegian said. "I'm just hoping we get a safe solution soon."
Premier League clubs are expected to meet Monday to discuss the possibility of resuming the season on June 8. The plan to return, reportedly titled "Project Restart," includes proposals to host matches at neutral venues and without fans present.
Few figures in English football have spoken out against the June target date while the UK's confirmed coronavirus cases climb to nearly 210,000 with almost 31,000 related deaths. One notable exception was Manchester City's Sergio Aguero, who said that "the majority of players are scared because they have family, they have children, they have babies."
Burnley's Ben Mee, meanwhile, told BBC Radio 4 that he believes footballers can "get over" the peculiarities of competing in neutral venues and give fans a "boost" by playing matches.