New normal presents change

KUMUL Petroleum National Soccer League teams underwent strict hygiene and social distancing procedures during the season restart in Port Moresby on Saturday.
Lae City coach Bob Morris said the changes to how teams prepared for matches was a significant one with the procedures now serving as the “new normal” in football.
“The lockdown has presented us challenges,” he said.
“We don’t really prepare well because it prevents us from getting together and trying to talk as a team but that’s a rule that we all need to follow.
“As much as possible, the players need to understand that and stay focused.
“It is a challenge for us, we came and were locked in our own rooms.
“The challenges were that we had no team talks (before the game) and we were kept in our rooms.
“I’ve worked with the team for the past two to three months and they know the system and how we are going to play.
“It’s our first time to play a match without supporters.
“The players wanted their supporters to come and watch them but I advised them that we were going to play behind closed doors.
“I told them that they were playing against another eleven players so they needed to forget about the supporters for now.”