Wolves star Matt Doherty ready to ‘take a risk’ to get back playing Premier League football, unlike Rose and Sterling

MATT DOHERTY claims many Premier League footballers are willing to take risks to get back to work.

The Wolves right-back insists it is crucial club doctors and safety experts lay it on the line to players to explain the dangers of returning to the pitch next month.

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Wolves star Matt Doherty says Premier League players are willing to take risks to get back to workCredit: Reuters

Republic of Ireland star Doherty, who is a dad-of-two, said: “If the Premier League and the doctors say it’s safe to come back, then I trust them.

“It’s getting to the point now when you would almost take a bit of a risk just to get back playing, because you miss it that much.

“We’ll obviously follow the guidelines and do what we have to do. But if they say it’s OK, then I’ll believe them and I’ll be ready to return to playing.

“I was allowed back to the training ground on Monday for the first time since lockdown. It was great just to get Wolves training kit on and feel normal again. It made me feel the return to playing was close now.

“We are doing short, sharp work in solitary sessions but we will gradually do more with the lads next week.

“I can’t wait until we can all get back to full training and then it starts to feel real again.

“On my way back from training on Monday, I heard the Government had opened up the possibility of returning in June and I thought ‘Good, now we can work out a plan for when we’re going to play’.

Dad-of-two says he was allowed to visit the club’s training ground on Monday for the first time since lockdownCredit: Getty – Contributor

All clubs will have to accept we are playing again and we can get on with it. “It won’t take long to get your touch back but the real test will come against a tricky winger — which there are lots of in the Premier League.”

Doherty wore protective gloves and a face mask on his return to the club’s Compton training complex.

He was able to briefly ditch his mask while running, because he had an entire pitch to himself.

However, the 28-year-old says it makes breathing difficult and believes it will be impossible to play or even train wearing one when coaches step up players’ training regimes in the run-up to the restart.

He said: “I didn’t train with a mask. There’s no way they will be able to make everybody wear masks once they’re playing and training flat out. It’s impossible.

“I always wear a mask if I’m going to the shops. As a player I have to be ultra-careful, especially in supermarkets. How often does somebody pick up something, realise they don’t want it and put it back for someone else to touch.

“So yes, I put my mask and gloves on to be safe because you don’t want to get ill, do you?”

Doherty has to avoid one potential risk normal members of the public don’t have to worry about — autograph hunters.

He added: “It’s a concern, so I normally wear a hat and a mask to go to the supermarket. Fortunately no one has recognised me yet and come up to talk or ask for an autograph.

“Unfortunately, if it was to happen I would have to turn the other way because you can’t take any risks with two kids at home.

“I hope people read that and realise it isn’t being rude, it’s for their protection, too.

“It’s just too risky, especially if you have youngsters or older people around. It’s not worth taking chances.”

Wolves’ season will stretch to more than a YEAR if they get to the Europa League final that is pencilled in for August 27 in Gdansk.

If they make it, Wanderers will clock up the longest season in the history of English football, lasting an astonishing 13 months and three days — with the final kicking-off 399 DAYS after their opening fixture against Northern Ireland’s Crusaders way back on July 25.

Doherty had a one-word response to that staggering stat: “Wow!”

Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk