Hartlepool United call for clarity following National League suspension due to coronavirus outbreak

The coronavirus outbreak has seen all levels of professional football in the United Kingdom postponed until the first weekend in April at the very earliest.

Some clubs are choosing to send players home and shut down while others, like Hartlepool United, are continuing to train while they can.

Short term preparations are in place but the longer-term picture looks far more uncertain.

“We’re preparing for every eventuality we can,” said Hartlepool chief executive Mark Maguire.

“We’re trying to make best guesses which is all we can do as to what might happen next at the same time as trying to communicate with the National League to lobby for what we feel might be the best course of action.

“It was inevitable that the suspension would initially be for the next couple of weeks to go in line with the EFL and the Premier League but I guess the main message from us would be that it would be better to have clarity for a longer period if that’s almost inevitably going to be the case.

“Limping at two-week segments at a time and trying to get through that doesn’t allow you to plan properly.

“So if it is in all likelihood going to be four or five weeks at the very minimum then we can almost treat it like a closed season and look after the lads appropriately but also the welfare of the staff appropriately as well.”

At this stage, the club are doing what they can to try and keep costs to a minimum and put together a plan of action.

“We’re doing as much as we can while we can, while also looking at the potential consequences from a business point of view,” Maguire added.

“As you can imagine, we’re onto the hotels that we had booked, we’re talking to the suppliers, we’re talking to people who booked our hospitality suites and trying to make contact with all the people affected and trying to make a plan in every area really.”