Taiwo Awoniyi Discusses Social Distancing, How He Feels As German Clubs Resume Training
By-Oma Akatugba
“It feels good to touch the ball again,” Mainz 05 and Nigerian attacker, Taiwo Awoniyi said as training resumes for German football teams.
Awoniyi expressed happiness about getting to touch the ball again, after an enforced break as a result of the raging COVID-19 pandemic.
In a chat with Omasports, he reveals his admiration of the level of organization shown in Germany and by his team.
“The Germans have always been professional and the training have been more like passing drills. We are keeping social distance, nobody is touching the other and everything is under strict conditions. The monitoring is strict, and those drills don’t need contacts. It feels good because we all can feel the ball again, and everyone can be safe at the end, which is the most important for us.
“Everyone has been indoor for a while and it’s same everywhere in the world. We have to follow the instructions we are given. From my team, the way everything is being conducted has shown how Germans are and professional they are as a club. It was a good training session for everyone. I can’t believe we can play football without contact.”
The former Golden Eaglets attacker said while he feels elated to get back to play, there is still the need to stay safe indoors and follow the guidelines set by the authorities.
“I give kudos to my team with the way it’s being managed. We are happy about it but we will be more glad when everything comes back to normal, when the whole virus is gone and I pray everything returns to normal for everyone. Kudos to the medical staff and for us, we have to stay safe at home and on the pitch, but it feels good to touch the ball again. I hope everything will be back to normal for everyone at the end.”
German authorities allowed clubs back in training on Monday, amid tight biosafety measures and strict conditions. COVID-19 cases in Germany have risen beyond the 100k mark with over 2000 deaths recorded in one of the best results seen in countries with very high incidence rates.
The organizers of the Bundesliga have also proposed to resume the league (Behind closed doors) in May and to end the season in June 2020 with plans to carry out strict Covid19 testing on all players and officials Prior to the games, documenting every Covid19 cases around all the clubs in both The Bundesliga 1 and 2 as well as observing measures as social distancing and disinfecting the match venues regularly and effectively. A Covid19 committee was specifically set up for this purpose.
