Ollie has slammed the amount of games to be played over the first several weeks, saying that playing saturday and tuesdays is way too much for players. I'm probably on my own here, but to work for 3 hours a week playing 2 games isnt exactly rocket science to me, and getting paid a full weeks wage for that. I admit they do a few hours more training, but i cant get it into my head that its similar in Premiership where Klopp and others moan that its too much for their players too for too many games in a week. 2 games= 180 minutes,3 bloody hours. I understand that a footballers career can be short, but its their career choice, and know what the outcome is. Maybe im missing something here, ive worked all my life, and sometimes doing 60 hours a week, and now at 65+, am looking forward to my state pension come next january. All i can say is.... Man up guys, 3 hours of sweat isnt a lot to ask for each week, well, for 7 weeks. I lost the interest of players when agents got involved. In my earlier days, the Club owned the players and they earnt their weekly wage, its now easy for them to be protected. End of rant, send me the red crosses, but you know im right.

It’s the same for everyone so it’s not unfair is it?

Mohsni and the 3 new lads behind on fitness he also said. And hanson injured

Quoted from dicko995

Ollie has slammed the amount of games to be played over the first several weeks, saying that playing saturday and tuesdays is way too much for players. I'm probably on my own here, but to work for 3 hours a week playing 2 games isnt exactly rocket science to me, and getting paid a full weeks wage for that. I admit they do a few hours more training, but i cant get it into my head that its similar in Premiership where Klopp and others moan that its too much for their players too for too many games in a week. 2 games= 180 minutes,3 bloody hours. I understand that a footballers career can be short, but its their career choice, and know what the outcome is. Maybe im missing something here, ive worked all my life, and sometimes doing 60 hours a week, and now at 65+, am looking forward to my state pension come next january. All i can say is.... Man up guys, 3 hours of sweat isnt a lot to ask for each week, well, for 7 weeks. I lost the interest of players when agents got involved. In my earlier days, the Club owned the players and they earnt their weekly wage, its now easy for them to be protected. End of rant, send me the red crosses, but you know im right.

I do understand what you're saying but the human body will only withstand so much before performance starts to deteriorate rapidly. Playing 90 minutes of football is an intense physical effort and would needs adequate recover time in between to maximise performance... Playing the odd Saturday/Tuesday is fine but for several weeks in a row, without the luxury of a large squad to rotate will inevitably have a detrimental impact on both fitness and performance.

However, everyone is in the same boat I suppose and the salary cap will hopefully prevent those with the luxury of carrying overly large squads from having an advantage.

I suspect the phrase “Hanson injured” will be one we’ve heard for much of the season.

I understand what Holloway is saying but it’s no different for anyone so surely you adjust your training methods etc to fit...

I used to play twice in two days when I was young and I did that without training . ;D

Damned either way.

If a manager or player raises fatigue issues and playing too much, we, as ‘normal’ workers get on our high horses and slate them as pampered prima donnas and they don’t know they’re born.

Then the players play too much and subsequently their performances deteriorate due to tiredness and playing through niggles, or worse still they get a serious injury. We then moan that players aren’t at the level we require them to be or are sat in the treatment room picking up a wage for nothing.

Either way this is a scenario in which the gaffer earns his money by ‘managing’ the squad and each game accordingly. Hopefully this is when having Ollie at the helm proves the difference between us and our rivals over the course of the season.

Football is very different to ye olde days, there is a much higher athletic requirement at league levels with much more intensive training than back in the 1950's or whenever a bunch of you started watching Town. It's not a run about in a muddy field and then down to the pub for a few pints anymore (except maybe when Newell was in charge!).

Increasing games in a shorter period limits rest time and puts more pressure on the body which equals injuries. It's going to be tough starting the season as it is. Comparing your 40 years working at Tesco or whatever to being a pro footballer just sounds funny. Careers are short for a reason and often end even earlier due to severe injuries.

Bunch of pessimistic old farts on here who complain about everything.

You obviously don't play football, two games a week is flipping absured and flipping ridiculous at a high level.

We know why it is but don't assert that they are league two players they should just get on with it, they will. But two 90 minutes of war a week for a month or more is stupid.

Quoted from aldi_01

I suspect the phrase “Hanson injured” will be one we’ve heard for much of the season.

I understand what Holloway is saying but it’s no different for anyone so surely you adjust your training methods etc to fit...

Hanson injured already! That must suggest that purely training has done him in, which does not bode well. The sad fact is, players of his age are largely past it nowadays, and can’t be relied upon to play every week, let alone twice a week.

Holloway getting his excuses in early?

Quoted from hheh2

But two 90 minutes of war a week for a month or more is stupid.

Fucking hell, how many players are we going to need this season?

Rediculous - I thought we were black and whiteulous

Quoted from Ipswin

Holloway getting his excuses in early?

Given the circumstances were in you would have to be pretty cynical to not understand  a little of where he's coming from.....oh hang on!!

We all have the same budgets. Well we don't because teams still have people on expensive wages but anyway, it's more of a level playing field.

You have two choices in terms of spending your £1.5m. You can either get the best players possible but run with a small squad of 20 or you get more players of lower quality, meaning you have an extra 5 players that you can rotate.

Ultimately the club that gets the right balance will do best and that is what Holloway is paid to do.

Sorry but there’s two things I’d first of all say to the manager were I to have the chance.
First, players have never got tired when the teams winning games and they want to keep their place do they? It’s an old cliche I know but it does still seem to hold true.
The second thing - and I’m very sorry if some people don’t like this but - the manager surely has to understand that the world has been through - and still is - unprecedented times. We need the game like never before, and particularly being able to get back to live spectating. You’re in the entertainment business aren’t you? Thousands of people have died for crying out loud and millions of livescontinue to be affected. Public service workers, particularly the frontline NHS of course, have put their lives on the line for us.
So, to the manager I think I’d have to say just get on with it. Playing two games of football a week isn’t going to bloody kill anyone. If you don’t understand that getting back out into the pitch is one of the most important things to every proper football supporter then I’m sorry but I just think you don’t understand. I’m an old man now but the prospect of getting back to BP is becoming of overwhelming Importance. I just desperately want to watch football again Mr. Holloway. Sorry, but just get on with it.

Quoted from Ipswin

Holloway getting his excuses in early?

Similar to you getting your "told you so" e mails in early!

As someone has already pointed out it's the same for everybody and Holloway can't blame the Football League because three of his signings are delicate young lads only used to training once or twice a week, his newly signed centre back / stopper is not as fit as he was when he impressed Holloway five months ago and his so-called 'star' striker can only train once a week without getting injured.

Quoted from mariners1

Sorry but there’s two things I’d first of all say to the manager were I to have the chance.
First, players have never got tired when the teams winning games and they want to keep their place do they? It’s an old cliche I know but it does still seem to hold true.
The second thing - and I’m very sorry if some people don’t like this but - the manager surely has to understand that the world has been through - and still is - unprecedented times. We need the game like never before, and particularly being able to get back to live spectating. You’re in the entertainment business aren’t you? Thousands of people have died for crying out loud and millions of livescontinue to be affected. Public service workers, particularly the frontline NHS of course, have put their lives on the line for us.
So, to the manager I think I’d have to say just get on with it. Playing two games of football a week isn’t going to bloody kill anyone. If you don’t understand that getting back out into the pitch is one of the most important things to every proper football supporter then I’m sorry but I just think you don’t understand. I’m an old man now but the prospect of getting back to BP is becoming of overwhelming Importance. I just desperately want to watch football again Mr. Holloway. Sorry, but just get on with it.

I see what you're saying, but also, at high level sport, this sort of frequency of games will lead to fatigue.  Not "I've just done 12 hours down a mine" fatigue, but a slight degradation in recovery before the next game that can eventually lead to niggles and injuries.  Holloway is right.  Now, often in seasons where teams are on a roll, they can be happy playing Sat-Tue with light training in between because they know each other, but we're at the start of a season where some of these guys haven't played a proper game of football for six months and don't know each other very well.  

I think over time, Holloway will get us playing well and will get more out of the squad than other managers would, but I think we need to be realistic in that a lot of teams may be a bit erratic at the start while squads bed in.  It's good to have the Cup/trophy games to help with this.

balderdash that professional footballers can't play two games a week. You train less frequently to compensate for the rest needed.

Saturday- game.
Sunday- stretching and recovery
Monday- lighter training session(s)
Tuesday- game
Wednesday- stretching and recovery
Thursday- full training session(s)
Friday- lighter training session(s)
Saturday- game

Repeat.

Quoted from immariner

balderdash that professional footballers can't play two games a week. You train less frequently to compensate for the rest needed.

Saturday- game.
Sunday- stretching and recovery
Monday- lighter training session(s)
Tuesday- game
Wednesday- stretching and recovery
Thursday- full training session(s)
Friday- lighter training session(s)
Saturday- game

Repeat.

So you work 7 days a week do you? They’re not slaves for our entertainment, they’re working men like you and me and are entitled to at the very least one full day off a week. Football has changed, it’s much higher paced now, it’s physically hard work, very demanding mentally too and takes it’s toll on the body.

We can talk about how the game has moved on, more energetic and so forth but the simple fact is it’s the same for everyone.

Perhaps every manager is moaning, who knows? But surely this is where managers really earn their money. Ensuring training is appropriate, players remain effective and fit whilst rotating and managing the games and deploying tactics that are effective but possibly ensure we can cover that many games.

It always seems like you play 2 a week for a month or so at the start of every season.

Is it excuse making because we’ve been honest about our biggest being lower than many others? Is it excuse making because we still haven’t recruited all of our targets and may not before we start again or is it just a manager moaning about the amount of games they’ve got to play?

No excuses for a top man - but we start on a level playing field - its the same for all 24 cubs as far as I can see. Its football - get out there & do it. Sometimes I despair at the negativity before it even kicks off.

Quoted from immariner

balderdash that professional footballers can't play two games a week. You train less frequently to compensate for the rest needed.




Saturday- game.
Sunday- stretching and recovery - church,  then pub
Monday- lighter training session(s) - session in pub
Tuesday- game
Wednesday- stretching and recovery - session in pub
Thursday- full training session(s) - session in pub
Friday- lighter training session(s) - can't be seen out so a couple of bottles of vino at home
Saturday- game

Repeat.

Suitably altered for the 1980s / 90s player.

Quoted from Heswall Mariner

No excuses for a top man - but we start on a level playing field - its the same for all 24 cubs as far as I can see. Its football - get out there & do it. Sometimes I despair at the negativity before it even kicks off.

It will be harder for those clubs , like us, who wont be spending a full seasons budget until crowds and income start rolling in , so in a double whammy, we aren't recruiting a normal full season squad just when the games are coming thick and fast and i doubt we will be in all honesty. The quicker we are out of the cups the better for squad protection wise i would think.

Of course Holloway is entitled to point it out , Fergie used to moan about it at Man Utd and he had squads of 40 - 50 to rotate, didnt play in the first rounds of the cup and unbelievably while moaning they played too much would organise games around the world when they did get a week off.
I dont think its the same for all as some have said and i think Holloway will be one of a few managers in our League who will have a smaller squad to cope with this season, or half season until crowds are back in.

Quoted from jock dock tower

Suitably altered for the 1980s / 90s player.

Or the Newell Years .......

Quoted from Hagrid

Mohsni and the 3 new lads behind on fitness he also said. And hanson injured

2 games a week they’ll soon catch up😉

Quoted from Heswall Mariner

No excuses for a top man - but we start on a level playing field - its the same for all 24 cubs as far as I can see. Its football - get out there & do it. Sometimes I despair at the negativity before it even kicks off.

We don't though because clubs like Scunthorpe went nuts signing players before the salary cap. It won't ever level out because relegated clubs don't have to tow the line either but if will take a couple of seasons for most teams to be on an even keel.

I am with pete on this one, just we played because we loved playing ,not because we had to for a pay packet.. I along with many back in the 60`s 70`s 80`s played more than twice a week , in fact i worked permanant nights , and played , thursday  , sat aftenoon and sunday morning.. and trained tuesday evenings . I cannot ever remember getting up and feeling i cant be bothered today cos am tired. we loved playing the game end of... and as for the pub afterwards .it worked better than any magic sponge lol

Quoted from jimgtfc

So you work 7 days a week do you? They’re not slaves for our entertainment, they’re working men like you and me and are entitled to at the very least one full day off a week. Football has changed, it’s much higher paced now, it’s physically hard work, very demanding mentally too and takes it’s toll on the body.

May I suggest you try nursing 12 hours a day, especially in the current climate, then you can talk about "very demanding and it takes its toll on the body" or you can just ask my wife. :(

Hello negativity.... we've been expecting you

Quoted from Jarmo.Is.God

Hello negativity.... we've been expecting you

It’s interesting isn’t it. Up until now Holloway has been very positive and chipper, whereas Day has been Dr Doom to some extent. Wonder if the club have asked Holloway to reign it in a bit to lower expectations?

In truth I suspect every manager is moaning about fixtures, they all seem to do this even though everyone will play the same amount of games as each other.

Perhaps clubs should’ve tabled a motion to abort the pointless checkatrade game, especially as clubs at league 1 and 2 will naturally be hindered by the whole mess of the last few months.

I do appreciate the EFL really don’t seem arsed about doing anything to help it’s members though.

I don’t buy in to the whole male private swinging thing thoigh or who’s job is hardest etc and footballers shouldn’t moan, they only work 2 days a week and all that nonsense.

They do work hard, it’s just a different way of working. It’s a bit like many professions recently, ways of working and hours of working have had to be adapted. That’s just how it’s been.

Quoted from immariner

balderdash that professional footballers can't play two games a week. You train less frequently to compensate for the rest needed.

Saturday- game.
Sunday- stretching and recovery
Monday- lighter training session(s)
Tuesday- game
Wednesday- stretching and recovery
Thursday- full training session(s)
Friday- lighter training session(s)
Saturday- game

Repeat.

Sat-start work 6 -2 quick lunch game at 3   5pints
Sun am game then 5pints-gardening - 5pints
Mon.-6-6work  training - 5pints
Tues  ditto
Wed.  ditto
Thurs. ditto
Fri. ditto  10pints.
Sat-start work 6-2 quick lunch game at 3  5pints
Sun am game then 5pints-gardening - 5pints  

That's 4 games in 9 days and I'm 75 and riddled with arthritus - possibly caused by the gardening.

So it goes on for seven weeks if we progress in the Carabao cup?  There's your solution right there.

Quoted from arryarryarry

May I suggest you try nursing 12 hours a day, especially in the current climate, then you can talk about "very demanding and it takes its toll on the body" or you can just ask my wife. :(

All this talk on who works the hardest is won by your wife arry how they manage with all that PPE  must be very hard and they all have my respect.

Quoted from golfer

That's 4 games in 9 days and I'm 75 and riddled with arthritus - possibly caused by the gardening.

You could probably get in the Scunny squad.

Quoted from Kris2

It's not a run about in a muddy field and then down to the pub for a few pints anymore (except maybe when Newell was in charge!).

If the anecdotes of a Paul Linwood are to be believed, it was largely the other way round.

Quoted from RonMariner

You could probably get in the Scunny squad.

I am

Quoted from dicko995

Ollie has slammed the amount of games to be played over the first several weeks, saying that playing saturday and tuesdays is way too much for players. I'm probably on my own here, but to work for 3 hours a week playing 2 games isnt exactly rocket science to me, and getting paid a full weeks wage for that. I admit they do a few hours more training, but i cant get it into my head that its similar in Premiership where Klopp and others moan that its too much for their players too for too many games in a week. 2 games= 180 minutes,3 bloody hours. I understand that a footballers career can be short, but its their career choice, and know what the outcome is. Maybe im missing something here, ive worked all my life, and sometimes doing 60 hours a week, and now at 65+, am looking forward to my state pension come next january. All i can say is.... Man up guys, 3 hours of sweat isnt a lot to ask for each week, well, for 7 weeks. I lost the interest of players when agents got involved. In my earlier days, the Club owned the players and they earnt their weekly wage, its now easy for them to be protected. End of rant, send me the red crosses, but you know im right.

But you are not working 3 hours a week. You are training all week and then trying to perform to your best ability for 2 more high intensity physical and mental situations. I won't red cross you but I don't think you are right.

Quoted from arryarryarry

May I suggest you try nursing 12 hours a day, especially in the current climate, then you can talk about "very demanding and it takes its toll on the body" or you can just ask my wife. :(

Same here Arry, Mrs works 13 hrs on average and very really gets any breaks. She was a nurse but is now an ACP (Acute Clinical Practitioner) basically a high level stoke nurse or a junior doctor.  I have more respect for Nurses, Doctors, Police, Fireman and Soldiers over any over paid sad sacks.

Quoted from arryarryarry

May I suggest you try nursing 12 hours a day, especially in the current climate, then you can talk about "very demanding and it takes its toll on the body" or you can just ask my wife. :(

Funny you say that actually, I work 12 hour shifts for the NHS too, and all the way through this pandemic. My view still stands.