Republic of Ireland international Ronan Curtis makes return as Portsmouth eye training restart

The Republic of Ireland international made the lengthy trip back from Derry on Friday with Kenny Jackett keeping his eye on training starting once again this month.

This week appears a crucial one in deciding what lies ahead for English football, with the government reviewing their plans for fighting the Covid-19 pandemic.

The EFL have stated training for clubs will not begin until May 16 with football suspended until June 6 at the earliest.

With those dates in mind, Jackett felt it was the right time for Curtis to be back on these shores.

He said: ‘Ronan came back on Friday.

‘I felt up until the start of May he’d be okay over there with his family.

‘With May being here now he does need to be here and around if we are to get going in June.

‘So he came back on Friday on the ferry from Belfast to Liverpool and made his way down.’

With Curtis returning, that means all of the Pompey first-team squad are not back in and around the city.

Andy Cannon and Tom Naylor were given dispensation to return north at periods of the lockdown but are based in the area once more.

Jackett added: ‘Most of them are around now and local.

‘Andy Cannon had a spell up north after his positive test but he’s okay. He’s down here.

‘Tom Naylor has been back to the Nottingham area.

‘Gareth Evans is from Manchester but is down here all the time and his wife has just had a baby.

‘So that means everyone is in and around the Portsmouth area.’