GRAHAM POTTER admits he finds the coronavirus crisis even harder after his own recent experiences.
The Brighton boss’ father died in January, just six months after his mother also sadly passed away.
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Potter lost both of his parents in a six-month span
So he knows only too well the pain thousands of families are going through right now.
Potter said: “That’s what I find personally quite challenging. We speak about football at the same time as around 20,000 people are dying.
“In lots of cases, people aren’t even able to hold the hand of the person that’s passing away, which is heartbreaking.
“I know from my own experiences that losing parents is hard enough.”
As a result, Potter is less gung-ho than others about resuming the season.
He has already insisted his players are not happy to start playing again until all key workers are able to access testing.
Potter said: “This discussion about when to play football and being safe to do so is the most important thing.
“The reality is we are in this horrendous situation where lives have been cut short. That’s the thing we have to remember when we’re considering what the way forward is.”
MENTAL CHALLENGE
Potter will do all he can to prepare his players for the mental challenge of playing football again, in front of empty stands.
He said: “Once we finally get to the point where it’s safe to play behind closed doors, just playing football will be quite an motional occasion.
“It will be a very poignant moment for everybody concerned. It’s one we’re looking forward to but it’s going to be a challenge.
“As we get nearer the time we can start to think about how we approach this environment, which is completely unique.
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“The Premier League is about a passionate crowd, an involved crowd. That’s the beauty of the product.
“All of a sudden we are going to something the complete opposite of that — a sterile environment with no atmosphere.
“That’s something we have to work on in terms of how we deal with mistakes on the pitch, or the ebb and flow of the game, without the support of the crowd.”
Premier League football back ‘within weeks’ with all games live on TV for free as grounds stay shut
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
