Portland Timbers manager Giovanni Savarese said the club is providing meals, house cleaners and even nannies for players' families while the team is in Orlando for the MLS is Back Tournament.
The Timbers flew into Florida on Friday afternoon and have been gradually getting used to life in the bubble, but the club has also been working hard back home.
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"Every family has different needs, some are receiving food directly to their home so they don't have to go to the supermarket, some are getting nannies, some are getting people to clean their house, making sure if someone needs transportation we have at all times people back in Portland making sure that everything is taken care of," said Savarese on Tuesday in a video conference. "Yesterday we had a meeting with the families asking how we can continue to help, is there any concern and from that standpoint I think the club has done a great job."
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Savarese pointed out that Diego Chara has four children and all the complications that involves, but said there have been conversations to make the players as comfortable as possible during a tournament that could see them away from their families for over a month.
"[There's] always a level of concern, which is important, because if you aren't concerned then you let your guard down and all of a sudden you aren't as worried as you had been," said Savarese. "That's why I have to continue to remind the players that we need to always wear masks, stay on the floors, not come down, avoid conversations with other players on other teams."
The number of cases in the state of Oregon has been fewer than other states around the United States -- there were 168 new confirmed cases and zero deaths reported on Monday -- and Savarese believes those stats and the players' behavior has helped the Timbers turn up in Orlando with zero positive tests.
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"I really believe the most important part is what teams have done in their own markets that makes the biggest difference," said Savarese.
In the team's Orlando hotel in the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, the Timbers have been keeping themselves to themselves, but have tried to provide an outlet for players in the confined environment.
"Here in Orlando we try to keep our floor very private, only for us," stated the Venezuelan. "We have created different rooms in which they can play games, Playstation, a ping-pong table, areas that they can at least go and get out of their room and be a little bit more ourselves."
Portland kicks off its MLS is Back campaign against LA Galaxy on July 13.
Source: espn.co.uk