Former Chippa United coach Clinton Larsen, who is now with relegation threatened Polokwane City, says the lockdown has come as a blessing in disguise for his team.

Ahead of the nationwide lockdown, the Polokwane-based Absa Premiership side dressing room resembled a sickbay as six of Larsen's key players were nursing injuries.

With some forced time-off due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the 49-year-old coach said his charges have now fully recovered thanks to the break.

"Those five or six players that were injured have all now recovered but the sad part is that the type of training they are doing at home will not get them ready to be match-fit, come the league's start.

"So, it's a bitter-sweet situation but we have got to be sensible how we introduce them and fast-track their fitness. However, I am just happy that their injuries are behind them.

"It's just the case of match fitness now for those players and it will give us more options for the remaining games."

The former Bloemfontein Celtic mentor said his technical team has been in constant contact with players to try and motivate them to keep fit during this tough time.

He said they had opened up a group for the team on social media where players post their training sessions and this helps to monitor the types of workouts the players are doing on a daily basis.

"It's a very difficult period not just for young players but for any player.

"You get used to your daily routine of getting up going to training, going home, eating, resting and going back to training the next day. It's a lifestyle and for it to be changed the way it has will impact any sportsmen across the board," Larsen said.

"It's the same with our players young and old. They are going through the same thing but that is why we as the technical team constantly motivate them and keep pushing them," said Larsen.