Dave Challinor missing the day to day involvement as manager of Hartlepool United due to the coronavirus lockdown and football suspension

Set-piece routines have been replaced by TV box-sets following football’s suspension due to the coronavirus outbreak.

With the country on lockdown, the Hartlepool players are having to train independently and have agreed to take a 20 per-cent pay cut. Several non-playing staff members have been made redundant due to the financial implications of the suspension.

United have played 39 National League games during the 2019-20 campaign which leaves them sitting ninth in the table.

There’s no clear picture as to when football will be able to restart which leaves managers like Challinor unable to prepare effectively and perform the job as normal. After marathoning ‘The Stranger’ on Netflix, the Pools boss admitted he was missing the day to day involvement of being physically at the club.

“I love my job and it’s strange because with the way my family is, our life revolves around football,” he told BBC Radio Tees Sport.

“Kate and the kids come and watch the team home and away, my boys play football, my other son is a referee so it’s weird.

“I love being in and around that environment and working so it’s a very unique situation which looks like going on for quite a mile so of course I miss it.

“It just shows the freedom you do have when it gets taken away how much an impact it does make on your life.”