Portsmouth striker makes sobering admission amid difficulties of training as footballer during shutdown

The Pompey striker said there are far more important things happening as the coronavirus outbreak continues to sweep the nation.

As of Tuesday, 422 people in the UK had died because of the Covid-19 – with that figure expected to increase significantly in the coming weeks.

The Blues haven't trained since being sent home from their Copnor Road base on Friday March 13. That won't change any time soon after Prime Minister Boris Johnson declared a virtual lockdown on Monday night.

It means Kenny Jackett’s men are confined to their homes, having to find ways to occupy themselves after undertaking their fitness regimes.

But Harrison highlighted he's lucky he can provide for his family as those people who are self-employed, in particular, face a precarious period.

Meanwhile, more importantly, lives are being lost.

Harrison said: ‘I wouldn’t say it’s tough because there are self-employed people out there who aren't getting paid and don’t know when they can get back to work.

‘They don’t know when they can pay their bills or feed their families. For footballers, I wouldn't say it’s tough at all – it's easy.

‘The lads who say it's tough, I think that's a bit of a cop out because we still get paid.

'We can be selfish and think about us but there are people who haven’t got jobs or clients, while people’s families are dying.

‘It’s not difficult at all. There are people who’ve paid their hard-earned money from August to watch us who probably wish they didn't and would have had that money now if they knew they'd be in this position.

‘We have got to show some respect and give back by staying inside and not going into communities.

‘There are old people and young people who are losing their lives because of this. It’s not something to mess about with and start doing things willy nilly.

‘It's fine to go and get your shopping, but I won’t be going out to do stuff because the Prime Minister has said not to.

‘You can see how bad it's getting in Spain and Italy, and the UK could be like that if there are selfish people doing these things.’