By Niall Gartland

THE GAA’S Covid Advisory Group is set to make a decision in the coming week on whether teams in the North can recommence collective training on April 12, and new Coalisland manager Brian McGuckin is hopeful that the green light will be given for a long-awaited return.

The Stormont Executive announced on Tuesday that outdoor training in groups of up to 15 people can resume on the aforementioned date, but McGuckin recognises that a blanket approach from the GAA at national level has the potential to throw a spanner in the works.

“Players all around the country are mad keen to get back out and do some form of collective training, but the big issue is that the North and South aren’t on the same wavelength at the minute and that’s going to pose problems.

“If we get back training on April 12 I’d be more than content though. The likelihood is that you’re not going to have any club football until July, so that’d still give you plenty of time to prepare.”

Ulster GAA released a statement earlier this week reiterating that collective training is off the table for clubs until April 12 at the earliest, while it’s expected that the GAA’s elite status will be restored for intercounty teams in early April, which would likely mean a return to action in early May.

The statement read: “GAA clubs in the north must stress to their players and management teams that April 12 is the earliest date that they may be permitted to resume activity.

“The GAA’s Covid Advisory Group will consider this development and will in the coming period issue updated guidance to all units of the Association.

“In the meantime, it is important that all our units continue to abide by both Government and GAA guidelines.”

McGuckin, who is embarking on his second stint in charge of the east Tyrone outfit, is happy to abide by the guidelines but says that individual programmes can only do so much for players.

“If we got the go ahead to start training tomorrow I’d be in favour of it. We’d like to get back before April 12 but if that’s the date we’ll be more than happy to work towards that.

“It’s so important for the fellas to reconnect, and that’s what they miss more than anything else. It’s okay to be handing out individual programmes but there’s nothing that will drive them on like the competitiveness from collective training.”

While it’s difficult for new managers to get acquainted with their players at the moment, McGuckin knows the club well from his first stint in charge and has a number of Na Fianna stalwarts in his backroom, including Tyrone strength and conditioning coach Peter Donnelly.

“To be fair I’m relatively fortunate in heading back into this role as I know the majority of the lads. In that respect it’s not too bad. Peter’s in alongside me, and Shane McHughes and Niall Fox worked under me as players the last time I was in charge of Coalisland. I’m looking forward to work with them as part of a management team.”