Pre-Season training

[TheUKCrazyhorse 96]

29 minutes ago, Darthter said:

I just get the impression that they're too pampered & need a right good kick up the arse.

As for a Haka...that might be taking it a bit far, but some sort of pre-game ritual which tells everyone "It's time for the game faces" probably wouldn't go amiss.

 

I know it's not quite the same thing (different shaped baw for a start...) but I used to play rugby years ago and we always did a ritual before every match where we basically made as much noise as we could, shouting and with our studs, to get us wound up for the game. Worked an absolute treat and probably helped put the sh*tters up the opposition as well!

 

Not so easy if the great game of fitba though, seeing as how both teams have to hang about in the tunnel before being ushered onto the field. Would take the sting out of it a bit!

[Darthter 542]

1 minute ago, ian1964 said:

Those days are gone for good! no player these days would accept the training tactics the likes of Jock Wallace deployed!. You don't need to be brutal to get the best out of players, just need to be a good man manager. If a player can't give his all for the likes of SG then there is something seriously wrong with them, running them into the ground wouldn't change that!.

This isn't about man managing or even about fitness....it's about building a TEAM.  A group of players that will give everything they've got on the pitch in order to work together & secure the desired outcome.  You don't achieve that by having a wee word in individuals ears - that only enforces the individual, rather than the team.

 

Military forces across the globe push their recruits to beyond breaking point, then build them back up as a team - a team which they may well rely on to save a their own life one day.  Of course that is extreme in relation to football, but the thinking/reasoning behind it is the same.

[ian1964 10,723]

1 minute ago, Darthter said:

This isn't about man managing or even about fitness....it's about building a TEAM.  A group of players that will give everything they've got on the pitch in order to work together & secure the desired outcome.  You don't achieve that by having a wee word in individuals ears - that only enforces the individual, rather than the team.

 

Military forces across the globe push their recruits to beyond breaking point, then build them back up as a team - a team which they may well rely on to save a their own life one day.  Of course that is extreme in relation to football, but the thinking/reasoning behind it is the same.

It is about football though, not the army! the Jock Wallace approach is draconian and would not work!.

 

[26th of foot 6,082]

As someone who served sixteen years in the Parachute Regiment, I would not advise submitting footballers to eight weeks basic training.

 

Remember, we are all products of our conditioning.

[MacK1950 2,376]

Agree about the past but think the squad should look to emulate Tav in his fitness,the guy is still going at 90mins and still looks pretty fresh.

If that can be managed then hopefully skill can be too.

[TheUKCrazyhorse 96]

Not sure how it works for modern football teams these days, but surely the whole team going out boozing would help them bond? I know it's probably frowned upon for professional athletes to drink, but surely it would help break down barriers?

 

Maybe not during the season, when they're expected to play right enough. And maybe don't tell Pena about the session...

[Darthter 542]

13 minutes ago, 26th of foot said:

As someone who served sixteen years in the Parachute Regiment, I would not advise submitting footballers to eight weeks basic training.

 

Remember, we are all products of our conditioning.

I'm not suggesting anywhere near 8 weeks of this stuff - maybe 1 or 2 max.

I'm sure your group/platoon were a better "product" for your intense training.

 

It's all about getting the TEAM functioning together....players assisting each other to get to the end.  Pushing themselves beyond the limits they thought possible, so that they can go that bit further, faster etc during a match.

Modern training is dictated by graphs & spreadsheets these days....I'd reckon 1/2 these guys very rarely really push themselves anywhere near their limits.

 

going out on the lash is probably pushing it a bit far (in the other direction) as well....but the principle is the same.  Socialise together & bond as a group.  I really get the impression that they arrive at Auchenhowie, train for a few hours, then all go their separate ways until the next day.  Pre-season is about hard work & preparation for the coming season - physically & mentally.  If players give up at the 1st obstacle then what chance have they got when the chips are down during a game.  We have talked on here about the teams mental fragility....that is not something that is going to change with a bit of running, sprint drills or ball control drills.

[MacK1950 2,376]

13 minutes ago, Darthter said:

Modern training is dictated by graphs & spreadsheets these days....I'd reckon 1/2 these guys very rarely really push themselves anywhere near their limits.

I have rattled on and on about this,especially when substitutions are being made,IMO a word in their ear is all that's needed,they have warmed up to go on and by the time the encyclopedia is read and digested they have cooled down/seized up.

[buster. 5,186]

You look at the 'high energy' teams who can keep up an effective pressing game for long periods of time and their fitness training/conditioning must be as tough as they come in the modern game.

 

It's been reported that this is the way Gerrard likes to play the game and that being so, he'll need to take a tough pre-season that lends itself towards it.

 

You don't have to go to Gullane or bark like a Sgt.Major to work the squad in a modern way that can get the fintness levels to a high level. But they will have to work a lot harder than they have in recent years.

 

Darther, it's surprising how far the human body can go if pushed. I was a Marine and saw it quite a bit, sometimes it went too far and heat exhaustion kicked in. I doubt players would buy into rigorous military style training. Tbh I'm not sure that new recruits even buy into the old style 'rigorous' given the focus on 'bullying'.

Bottomline, this is an area that has annoyed me over the years, more especially in European games when we've seen teams come from far and wide who were generally fitter, faster and stronger than us. For me, it's an indictment on our supposed professionalism.

 

As for the bonding aspect, that'll be down to Steven Gerrard

[Darthter 542]

4 minutes ago, buster. said:

You look at the 'high energy' teams who can keep up an effective pressing game for long periods of time and their fitness training/conditioning must be as tough as they come in the modern game.

 

It's been reported that this is the way Gerrard likes to play the game and that being so, he'll need to take a tough pre-season that lends itself towards it.

 

You don't have to go to Gullane or bark like a Sgt.Major to work the squad in a modern way that can get the fintness levels to a high level. But they will have to work a lot harder than they have in recent years.

 

Darther, it's surprising how far the human body can go if pushed. I was a Marine and saw it quite a bit, sometimes it went too far and heat exhaustion kicked in. I doubt players would buy into rigorous military style training. Tbh I'm not sure that new recruits even buy into the old style 'rigorous' given the focus on 'bullying'.

Bottomline, this is an area that has annoyed me over the years, more especially in European games when we've seen teams come from far and wide who were generally fitter, faster and stronger than us. For me, it's an indictment on our supposed professionalism.

 

As for the bonding aspect, that'll be down to Steven Gerrard

It's about finding the right level.....I think having an authoritarian type figure really pushing them would work though - probably someone external that they don't know.  That way they have no idea how far they can push back - they just do as their telt.  How ever it's done, they need to be working harder & longer than they have in the past.  As I said initially, its not as much about the general fitness levels - they are all very fit - its about developing the mental aspect & building the team.

 

During the early part of pre-season, the players should be absolutely knackered when leaving the training ground....not fresh enough to pop out for a wee game of golf etc.  They should be getting shown that when they feel they can't run any further, that they can in fact push on much further, through "the wall" and not just lean up against it for a breather.

 

After they have broken down that wall, they should be ready (as a group) to work together more & move onto more football skills training.