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Chris Burke


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Chris Burke admits there’s one positive thing coming out of the coronavirus pandemic – quality family time.

He knows that the awful situation worldwide is leading to major problems for everyone but for now he is trying to look on the bright side and insists he won’t be getting too down thanks to his wonderful family.

The 36-year-old Kilmarnock winger said: “We are safe and well in my household, no one has any symptoms of the virus.

“It’s just the part now that we need to follow the law. We have been doing that so hopefully if everyone does that then we can get back to normality sooner rather than later.”

When asked what he’s getting up to in his spare time, he joked: “I am not very good at DIY so there’s not much of that getting done, to be honest.

“But seriously, we are just spending family time together, which is nice. It’s unlike any other time. Most families don’t spend this much time together because of work and school.

“It’s nice that the four of us do things together. We are having meals together – that usually never happens.

“Usually my wife is taking one of the kids to an activity and I am taking the other to something else, so we don’t really see each other apart from having a quick dinner and at night.

“Now we are spending loads of time together. Most of the time it’s good, but I am sure others will agree that sometimes it’s a challenging thing.

“We appreciate the smaller things in life, and I think that’s important at the moment because of what we are facing now.” 

Burke is fully aware of the savage financial situation which is hitting football.Clubs around the country are having to make cuts just to survive.

Players, like any other workers, have concerns over paying mortgages and looking after their families.

Burke isn’t naive. At the age of 36, he realises the game has never known a nightmare situation quite like this one.

But when it comes to the crunch, he said: “If I am honest, I’m not thinking about money or anything like that. Everyone should think health first because money does not buy you health.

“It’s why everyone has to come together and people are doing it.

“I understand it is difficult times for business and for football clubs, but, first and foremost, if you ask me the question, is health more important than what is going into your bank account? Of course it is.

“I just hope the government has a plan in place which can get these businesses back up and running and help people who are struggling with the likes of mortgages to get food on the table for their families.

“No one has experienced this.

“It’s something unexpected which has spiralled quickly and which catches you off guard.

“You then have to act fast, and that goes for everyone from football clubs to the Prime Minister.”

Although there are calls being made to UEFA and the SPFL to give an indication of when football could make a return, Burke admits that’s mission impossible and players now face a mental test.

He said: “It’s difficult for the authorities to come up with a timeline. Things change week by week. Now it’s almost day by day in terms of what we can do as a society, never mind football.

“We all need to stick together. Whether it is UEFA or the SPFL or whoever, they have to come together because this affects us all. It’s not just certain leagues, certain competitions, certain countries, it’s all of us. Everybody.

“Obviously, we would all like an answer, but who makes that decision? Who is the main leader in the world to decide? There are different people and different ideas.

“Yes, we’d all like to know when the start dates are, when the end is, but we’re not going to get it just now.

“The itinerary we have been given is to bed ourselves in slowly and try to maintain a level of fitness – you obviously can’t get match-fit.

“It’s mentality. I’m sure the top players have it. It’s why they are where they are. Routine has been taken away and you have to find your own routine.

“It’s definitely challenging. I wouldn’t say it’s difficult, as resources at clubs now mean we get itineraries and schedules given to us. It’s more a mental thing than a physical aspect.

“We can all do the physical stuff. We are fit and can do that. It’s the mental aspect of giving your all.

“I’m enjoying it. Of course, you’d like to be with the group, but I’m not feeling that I don’t want to do it. If you can do a little more than the club give you, do it if you can.

“When you come back, even though you are not match-fit, you want to be fit. You don’t want to start training again and find yourself in the physio room on day two with an injury. That’s why we have the programmes.”

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/ayrshire/chris-burke-opens-up-coronavirus-21806811

 

 

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