With football still on hiatus for the foreseeable future, we caught up with Brad Collins, who is back in London until the Coronavirus pandemic abates.
The Reds’ stopper, like his teammates, has been doing all he can to maintain his fitness for when we return to action, but he admits it is difficult – particularly seeing as he is unable to do specific goalkeeping training.
“It’s tough because there’s not a goalkeeper coach around where you can just do it in the garden,” began Collins. “It’s tough, but a lot of people are going through the same thing so I think it’s important that we stay fit and stay ready for when we’re due back in – whenever that is.
“I’ve had a bike since the start of it; I ordered one straight away and I’ve been doing a lot of cycling because it’s good for goalkeepers, so I tend to do a lot of cycling and a bit of running on the side.
“Then I do a bit of upper body strength, which is obviously one of the main things as well. Trying to maintain that is quite hard because I don’t have a lot of weights to lift, so it’s normally just body weight things."
Lockdown is certainly something that we never envisaged happening in our lifetime, especially given the evolution of medical science.
Life is no longer as we used to know it and, in a world where we are so routined in our daily lives, adjusting to the government guidelines is challenging.
“It’s pretty boring, to be honest,” continued Collins. “I’m just keeping on top of my fitness and making sure I’m eating the right things – that’s about it. We’re not going out, which is obviously what we’ve been told to do.
“When you’re in and around the changing room every day with the boys, to be at home and not seeing them for a while – you just want to be with them and having a laugh.
“I’m still in contact with them – more Kev [Pilkington]; we talk about what we’ve been doing or what we could do and a little bit of banter still flies around, so we keep that going. That’s important as well.”
No decision has yet been made as to whether the 2019/20 season will resume. There are plenty of alternative suggestions, but there is only one that Collins is contemplating.
“I want to finish the season,” he stated. “I think in the last nine games that we’ve got the fans could be vital for us. So, I’d like to see the fans there – if it has to be without them so be it – but I’d definitely like them to be there.”
