Jim Rodwell says League One resumption is essential for players ahead of looming contract crisis

Sunderland’s CEO says that Phil Parkinson is in regular dialogue with his squad, and claims that they have indicated a preference to resume.

The fate of the third-tier season is uncertain, with a majority believed to be in favour of an early curtailment.

League One players and staff had inititally been expected to resume small-group training this morning, but this was put back as the uncertainty means the testing programme to require a return has not been carried out.

The costs of testing remain one of the major hurdles to a resumption in League One.

Championship clubs are resuming training today, after an initial round of 1,014 players and staff returned two positive results, both from the same club.

All players can opt out of the resumption at any stage under EFL protocols.

EFL Chairman Rick Parry warned in his appearance before the DCMS committee earlier this month that over 1,400 contracts expire on June 30th.

Bristol Rovers forward and PFA representative Alex Rodman fears many of those could be ‘lost to the game’.

Clubs are widely expected to cut playing budgets this summer, particularly as Parry strongly favours salary caps and a reduction in squad sizes.

Rodwell says it is in the interests of lower-league players to resume, having previously called on the PFA to help with testing costs.

“Our players that Phil is in daily contact with, want to play,” Rodwell told talkSPORT.

“They're professional footballers. They want to play football.

“I listened to Chris Wilder and he was right, the majority want to get back to playing.

“I think there's an important point here that's slightly getting missed, specifically in League One and League Two.

“We've got hundreds of players out of contract.

“Those players need to play the last eight, nine games to showcase their talent and earn contracts.

“The perceived wisdom is that clubs are going to operate next season on smaller squads and smaller budgets.

“These contracts are going to be like goldust.

“These games are the opportunity for the players to showcase what they can do.”