Burnley manager Sean Dyche believes it's about time everyone realised football is facing the same risks as every other industry in the world amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Burnley boss believes there should be no room for double standards when assessing those risks.
Speaking to the Ornstein and Chapman Athletic podcast, the Clarets' boss said: "People often ask, 'Why are footballers treated differently?' Well I attempt to not treat them too differently.
"In my view - and only my view and I must make that clear - we’re all proud of the NHS workers going to the front line and they do an amazing job, pushing themselves for the betterment of all.
"And then weirdly we see the football world as different … but equally they are professional footballers and if professional football is offered a safe environment in which to go and play you would imagine that most professional footballers would say: 'OK, that’s my job, that’s what I do'.
"It’s like double standards. You can’t say you want to treat them all the same and then not treat them all the same.
"I was interviewed the other day and asked, 'What happens if something really bad or tragic happens in football?' and I said, 'What happens if it happens in every business? Are you going to shut down every business?'
The 48-year-old said he had discussed the situation with his players and they are more or less okay with the idea of restarting training sessions and playing games behind closed doors.
"Everyone agreed we want to get on with it - not in a flippant way but as long as the situation and protocols are correct and everyone is happy with that. We wanted some form of clarity and got that," Dyche added.
Meanwhile, Liverpool have reopened Melwood for the players' individual training. The games are expected to restart in around a month, with June 12 set as the tentative date.
