Championship: Swansea City's Matt Grimes says dealing with break in season is key

Published on: 21 March 2020

Swansea City's Matt Grimes and West Bromwich Albion's Matheus Pereira in the two clubs' last game, a goalless draw on 7 March

Swansea City captain Matt Grimes says the way players deal with the break in their season will be key in the Championship promotion race.

English football is suspended until at least 30 April because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Swansea are one of a host clubs hoping to reach the Premier League when the season eventually restarts.

"It's a big challenge for all the teams," midfielder Grimes said.

"I think whichever team handles this spell the best - it's a unique situation, there are no guidelines - will give themselves the best opportunity when the season gets started again.

"It's just keeping the motivation, keeping the mind right, going over old games and realising that while we have this time off to recharge a little bit, it's not a holiday. We are still in-season.

"We need to make sure we are sharp in body and mind."

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Swansea are 11th in the Championship table, but are only three points outside the play-off places with nine games of the season remaining.

Leeds United and West Bromwich Albion have some breathing space in the automatic promotion places, but the Swans are one of at least nine other clubs who have a realistic chance of going up.

The hope is that the 2019-20 campaign will be concluded by 30 June.

"The Premier League is the promised land, everyone wants to get there," Grimes told BBC Radio Wales Sport.

"There are so many clubs in the Championship in the same boat - going for that late play-off push - and we are one of them.

"It's a difficult and testing time, but we just need to adhere to the advice we are given and be ready when the season starts again."

Swansea's players are currently training individually after the club's training grounds were closed because of coronavirus.

"I think I speak for everyone when I say I am lost without football," Grimes said.

"But we have just got to stay professional. We have to try to keep fit and listen to the advice given to us by the experts."

Source: bbc.com

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