Queens Park Rangers midfielder Marc Pugh has said that the news of the EFL's suspension happened "really quickly" as the side were preparing for their league game against Barnsley at the start of March.

The football season has been suspended until April 30 at the earliest, and it is not yet known how the EFL will look to proceed once the shutdown is lifted.

There are worries about the financial concerns the postponements will have on all clubs, in particular those in the lower divisions. There are also concerns about the chances of the season being made void.

Speaking on the Open All R's podcast, Pugh said the news came as a bit of a shock while the side were preparing for the Barnsley game.

"We were preparing for the game and doing our usual thing and the gaffer said we'd get told at around 10:30 what was going on," he said.

"So instead of having a light training session in preparation for the game on Saturday, the session got extended and we had to do a lot more running and fitness work, that kind of thing."

QUIZ: Can you remember the scores from QPR's first 12 games this season?

He also gave an insight into how he took the news personally, but also acknowledged why the suspension had to be put in place.

"Mentally, you're thinking 'here we go', but you've just got to get your head around it because at the end of the day the health and safety of everyone involved is the most important thing," he said.

To cope with the lay-off, QPR's fitness coach has assigned tailored plans to all of the players to ensure everyone keeps in top shape.

"Our fitness coach has been fantastic," Pugh added.

"As a professional footballer, you've just got to keep yourself in good shape because at the end of the day we might get a phone call from the FA saying that we're starting games up in two weeks and so we've got to be ready to go again."

The Verdict

Pugh's comments suggest that the squad are not currently training at the moment as the current pandemic continues to take a hold of the UK.

It will be a difficult and odd break for the players to deal with, as they adjust to the new rules that have been imposed.

However, the midfielder knows that things could change at any given second, and he is clear that the squad have to be ready if and when that happens.