Alan Browne 'making the best out of a bad situation'

The home fitness programme Preston North End have given their players means there can be no pigging out for Alan Browne during lockdown.

But there is plenty of Peppa Pig for the Ireland international, as the 25-year-old Cork native does his best to adjust to a professional footballer’s life in a time of pandemic.

“I’m all right but I’m starting to miss football now,” he has told the Lancashire Post.

“What’s good is that I’m getting to spend a lot of time with my family and baby (Hugo). It’s trying to make the best out of a bad situation. Along with everyone else I would prefer life to be back to normal. At home I’m in a bit of a routine now – get up in the morning, watch Peppa Pig with the baby, then do some training.

“Soon after all this started I took a bit of a break, had about a week off. I just needed a rest and this was an opportunity to do that. I know I’ve not played every game this season but over the last few years, I’ve barely had a break.

“I’m back at it now, I’ve got a treadmill and a weight bench in the garage which I use pretty much every day. I’ve been out running but I do find long runs quite difficult, to be fair. I know I do a lot of running in a game but it’s completely different being out there on the road.

“I’ve found a few decent routes and there is quite a bit of scenery along the way. That helps but I’d prefer to be out on the football pitch.”

While Preston have set May 16 as a target date for a return to training, the huge uncertainty about when football might resume in England means Browne is concentrating on taking things one day at a time.

“I’ve stopped looking at the updates from the Football League and things like that,” he said. “You see things mentioned and then they change, so I don’t take much notice.

“As a club, we just have to stay as professional as we can and everyone in the squad has been doing that. We have a really good bunch here, we all work hard and look out for one another. We have a group thing where people are checking in and everyone looks like they are keeping fit.

“As a group of players, we have to listen to the manager, listen to Tom Little and his fitness staff. We have to hope that football is back sooner rather than later.”