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CONOR WHELAN says inter-county players would need to be given more than two weeks of collective training before returning to action.

And given the uncertainty over when games will resume, the Galway hurling star does not believe it is unthinkable to even see the Championship run off in the last quarter of the year.

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He said: I do think the Championship is going to be played. I think a lot of it depends over the next two weeks, how this pandemic goes.

Right now the country is shut down, if they shut down the country for another two or three weeks after the cut off date next week then thats going to have a big impact.

But I can see it being feasible playing it later on in the year. Obviously youd have an issue with club championships then and different things like that.

But you know, I think we do have a lot of floodlit venues around the country and I think we do have our headquarters in Croke Park which is also under lights and Croke Park could take games most of the year round.

So I dont think it would be out of the question to play it later on in the year. Look, ideally everyone wants this pandemic to pass and just to go back to the way things were.

Hopefully that would be in July, in an ideal set of circumstances, but currently all we can do is kind of speculate and guess.

But I dont think it wouldnt be feasible to play it later on in the year.

I think that is something that probably will be talked about, if this pandemic draws on longer.

But whenever games do resume, Whelan reckons players will need to be afforded more than two weeks of preparation beforehand.

He added: To be honest with you, I dont think two weeks is adequate time.

Like, if you are telling me in two weeks that were going to be playing our first round championship game whether its round robin a straight knockout you can probably take the week before the game out of it.

"You are not going to get any level of training done the week of a game, because obviously you need to bring back down the intensity and the load that week.

So really you are talking one week of collective training.

What can you do in a week? Three sessions.

And then you are going out playing in a knockout game, hypothetically speaking, or if you are playing a round-robin game, if you lose your first game you are under serious pressure.

"So I dont think two weeks is adequate, I think four weeks in the current circumstances would probably be ideal at the moment.

Obviously wed all like to get a bit longer, but I think four weeks would be adequate time, wed have three weeks of good hard training together and then the week of the game wed be able to bring the load back down.

I think its not even about collective training, I think its just about getting the group back together, getting everyone on the same wavelength and everybody pulling in the same direction.

We broke up two weeks ago and I suppose for players it is difficult to be training away on your own, youre probably not able to do the same level of training as you would be able to collectively.

I suppose four weeks would afford you an opportunity to get sharper and maybe get up to a certain level, that two weeks definitely wouldnt.

Whelan is currently teaching English and History in Ballygar and while he is teaching his students remotely during the shutdown, the Kinvara man admits it can be tricky.

He added: Im teaching in Microsoft Team there at home so that is fairly difficult, some students are having issues with IT and no access to internet in some homes and in others through a lack of either wanting to do it or finding it difficult to do it, isolated on their own.

Thats extremely difficult for teachers to be able to manage all that but were just trying to do the best we can and hopefully well get the chance to pick it up again.

But you definitely wouldnt be satisfied with the level of teaching that youre able to do online but I suppose you just have to do the most with what you have.

Im extremely fortunate that I dont have any exam years. I have fifth years all right so thats fairly important that they get a high level of education in regards to doing their exams next year.

The number one priority in the school at the moment is exam students.

Leaving Cert students, obviously its a very difficult time for them. Theyre kind of left in the unknown I suppose really.

Whelan tries to keep himself busy during the days by working and keeping as active as possible.

He said: Just trying to keep a consistent routine, really. Probably getting up at 8.15 or 8.30 every morning, make myself breakfast, a smoothie and an omelette or something like that and maybe going into Kinvara and getting a coffee.

Then, coming out home and giving a hand around the house and doing a few chores, trying to get a gym session done then tearing into the schoolwork.

So I spend about two or three hours on the schoolwork because they all submit their work.

They take a photograph of the work theyve done because theyve written it into their copy and submit it online, so I have to try and download that and print it out and look over it and review it and write back some feedback for the students.

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And then if they are any students who havent submitted work I have to try to track them down and see whats going on so thats a very tedious process and it takes a fair chunk out of my day.

And then I try to get some activity in the evening whether thats going to the ball wall or going for a run, just trying to stay fit and healthy at the same time adhering to the distancing guidelines.

l Conor Whelan was speaking at the launch of Patrick Bourke Menswear Kings of the Game campaign.

See more here:
Galways hurling ace Conor Whelan says teams would need four weeks to prepare for a return to Championship - The Irish Sun