SAINTS’ players are said to have felt at ease during their first week back at Staplewood.

As previously reported by the Daily Echo, the club’s medical staff worked tirelessly throughout the break to ensure the correct safety protocols were in place before the squad returned.

Because of this, Ralph Hasenhuttl and his players have found the precautions put in place due to the coronavirus pandemic easy to follow.

Some of the measures put in place included separate entrances, parking their car three spaces apart from the closest one and being unable to dine in the canteen.

As well as that, the players are expected to arrive at Staplewood already wearing their kit and then return home in it which prevents them from having to shower in close proximity.

Saints also dished out protective snoods to cover their mouth and nose during training in order to boost their safety.

They have been limited to non-contact training, in small groups of five, although there will be another Premier League meeting on Tuesday to discuss the next stage of ‘Project Restart’.

This is likely to see protocols put in place to allow for contact training.

The players were welcomed back to Staplewood with a host of gruelling fitness tests to get them back in the swing of things.

They’ve been following strict training programmes at home but, as Danny Ings recently told the Daily Echo, nothing compares to being put through the wringer under prying eyes.

Hasenhuttl’s viewing this return to training as a mini pre-season so that he can get his side in tip-top shape ahead of the possible June 12 resumption date.

However, early June is believed to be ambitious, with other news outlets suggesting the Premier League is more likely to resume behind closed doors at the end of June.