Fitness & conditioning

Quoted from HertsGTFC

I think we would last better in games if we could keep the ball for longer periods than we currently do. I think PH used this topic as a bit of a smoke screen for walking away to be honest but I am sure that if we had someone part time it would help. Like a kit man though I am not convinced you cannot have success without one.

What I would say is that my lad came to the Blackpool game which was the first time since we played Bolton and he noticed that a few players had lost some weight and looked leaner so something must be happening at Cheapside without a S&C coach, possibly the double sessions. Also surely if the manager and coaches have the UEFA qualifications and experience as players they should know enough to get by?  

  

I'd like to think the club wants to do a bit more than just just get by

Absolutely, Ginnywings! The better teams just make the game look easy; it's pass and move, pass and move. The secret is knowing where the next pass is going to go and creating the space for it. For that though you need players with good touch, comfort on the ball, vision and well-rehearsed routines. Sheffield United were excellent at BP pre-season and made the game look very easy. For me, we don't show anything like the same mobility, have too many ball-watchers rather than space-makers and give the ball away much too cheaply.

I think most professional clubs now have roughly the same fitness levels. It then comes down to who is the better technically and look after the ball better when they have it.

Talking of fitness, if you ever see the running stats for distance covered for Barcelona they usually have done more than the opposition, and they usually have the ball for 60% plus of the game. At our level they must be well capable of still being able to close down/make runs in the final minutes, if your fit enough it's easier to control the ball and make passes, if your knackered passes etc will go astray.

With Barca, I'd imagine much of their running is at a canter as they pass and move the ball so effectively. Their opponents, however, are knackering themselves at the same time with lots of short sprints trying to close them down to get close enough to attempt a tackle or interception.

We sounded as if we were very fit today, breaking with pace whenever possible.

Quoted from Maringer

With Barca, I'd imagine much of their running is at a canter as they pass and move the ball so effectively. Their opponents, however, are knackering themselves at the same time with lots of short sprints trying to close them down to get close enough to attempt a tackle or interception.

Exactly my thoughts, plus the mentality of being in control of most games isn't as fatiguing or frustrating as chasing shadows.

If there's an issue with strength and conditioning, then Hurst could have done something about it himself. The players only trained for half a day.

I don`t know anything about how much or how the Grimsby-players train, but my hometown club Rosenborg have been training a lot more fitness & conditioning than other clubs in our Norwegian league. It is very obvious to everyone that this is of huge importance, especially when looking at all the games where they have scored in the last 15 minutes of the game against a very tired opponent.
Many games have been won in those last 15 minutes because of their very hard training regime in advance of every season.
But, in a recent study ordered by Rosenborg, they admit that clubs in the top European leagues train even harder, making it more difficult for the club to qualify for Champions League today than it was 15 years ago. Fitness is of more importance today than it ever was if you want to compete, and many of the top players train by themselves outside of their clubs training program.

Up the Mariners!

I think their is a misconception about S&C. It isn't just about being fitter, it is more about he conditioning side which also focuses on injury prevention. It wasn't something that was in vogue when most managers were still playing so their knowledge is often very limited. It needs to be delivered by an S&C professional not by a Personal Trainer from the local gym. Their skills are totally different.
Doubt MB will be permitted to bring in a suitable individual even IF he buys into the concept.

Not the end of the world and as JF often says, if you get 3 points this sort of clamour fades into the background and it only because an issue when we are losing. I guess that's were we are at.

UTM