TNS boss Scott Ruscoe set for training teaser

The Welsh champions, like all clubs around the United Kingdom, are awaiting an update as to when it is safe to return to training.

Park Hall manager Ruscoe and his staff supplied players with generic fitness programmes when they were told to stay away from day-to-day training in March.

Ruscoe admits he did not foresee the lockdown, now into its seventh week, lasting for such a period and feels players may struggle with an intense workload upon resumption.

"It's pretty generic for the group," Ruscoe said of the fitness instructions to his squad. "If they need more we'll give them more. To be honest I didn't expect it to be going this long.

"We're into the seventh week now (of lockdown), when you set the plans it's to keep them ticking over. But if you have five weeks off you're going to need three or four weeks to get back into training.

"It's not going to be as simple as just playing the next week because the players haven't kicked a football. All they've done is long-distance running, sprints and different types of cardio work.

"We can check on (exercise mobile app) Strava to check they're doing it and not strapping it to their dogs or giving it to their friends. We know they're doing it, they're an honest bunch."

TNS, champions of the Welsh Premier League eight seasons in a row, faced a battle to retain their title this season. The Oswestry club trailed rivals Connah's Quay Nomads by four points with six games remaining.

The Football Association of Wales initially indefinitely extended all of its decisions in March before its last update, in mid April, suspended all domestic football until Friday, May 15 at the earliest.

Former Saints player Ruscoe admits his side have shown inconsistency this season and the form of Connah's Quay and Bala have made the title race exciting for the neutral.

He insists the Saints wish to resume the season and believe, with a home game against Connah's Quay, they can topple the leaders, but says if the league was null and voided there are very few arguments.

"When things are taken out of your hands and happen that us or our parents have never seen before who are we to argue?" Ruscoe added.

"It's one of those things that hopefully we can sort out, get vaccines for and hopefully it doesn't happen again in our lifetime. We have to put it down to bad luck or force of nature."