Conor Hourihane missing Aston Villa team environment
Villa midfielder Conor Hourihane admits the ‘strange’ situation surrounding the current Premier League season has been difficult for the club.
Dean Smith’s side sit 19th in the table and two points from safety, with the campaign on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic. They do have a game in hand, however, due to their appearance in the Carabao Cup final in March.
The squad are continuing training regimes at home until they can return to the club and Hourihane is concerned about maintaining fitness levels during this time.
“It’s a strange time at the minute,” he said.
“We’re all in the same boat and we’ve got to get on with it.
“It’s been challenging. We’ve got a programme from the club and we’re trying to stick to that at best possible.
“Training individually isn’t easy because we’re very team-orientated.
“It’s hard to replicate, that individual work away from the training ground. Naturally, we’re going to lose match fitness and our levels of fitness.”
Meanwhile, striker Mbwana Samatta believes footballers have been ‘hit hard’ by the outbreak due to the changes in their working life.
“For us football players, we have been hit hard by the ongoing lockdown to the extent that we cannot go out to do our jobs. I need to go to the ground, train with my team-mates and play matches but that is not the case now,” he said.
