Kenny Jackett's fitness vow after Portsmouth squad members voluntarily reported to training ground this week

And the Blues boss and his squad members underlined their determination to ensure levels of fitness are maintained, with some voluntarily reporting to the club’s training ground this week.

Pompey and the world of football have entered into an uncertain period following the coronavirus outbreak and the impact its had on the sporting calendar.

The suspension date across the English game is widely expected to be pushed back from the April 30 date it currently stands at.

The Blues players are currently expected to continue their fitness programmes away from their Roko training base.

Doing so presents it’s own challenges, with the expectation fitness levels will decrease without football-based training taking place.

But Jackett is keen to ensure the players are doing all they can to make sure they can return to action in the best possible condition.

That stance is echoed by the players, leading to some who aren’t self-isolating and within the boundaries of government advice, checking in earlier this week.

Jackett said: ‘We’ll be ready - 100 per cent we’ll be ready.

‘It’s the same for everyone.

‘It’s going to be a different situation for everybody when the football season does kick in.

‘Our priority has to be coming to top form as quickly as possible.

‘That’s what we’re talking about internally on a regular basis.

‘That’s a good thing for us to be able to focus on at the moment.

‘It will be the same for everyone when it does kick in.

‘We will have to be ready and be one of the sides who come out of the traps quickest.’

Jackett has made it clear the professional focus for Pompey at present has to be geared towards maintaining levels of fitness, no matter how testing the circumstances.

Five players currently find themselves in a period of self-isolation after testing positive for Covid-19, severely limiting their training options.

Ross McCrorie, Andy Cannon, Haji Mnoga, James Bolton and Sean Raggett are the quintet adjusting to that scenario as they continue their recoveries.

The rest of the squad are working to government guidelines, meaning they are able to fit some of their regime within their daily outdoor activity – even using local parks.

Ultimately, however, the players are desperate to get back to playing and find themselves in the unusual scenario of having no matchday to focus their regimes around.

Jackett knows, like football fans around the country, they are missing the buzz of competitive action at present.

Ultimately, however, he’s aware it's the football authorities who will take their lead from the government - with safety the motivating factor.

Jackett added: ‘For the players, they’re be wanting to play and get back like everybody.

‘Football is a massive national sport and a massive thing in this country.

‘We’re no different. The players will be keen to go and ready to go whenever it does come back and whenever the powers that be think it’s, one, safe and, two, the right thing to do.’