" Is Slade working them too hard? "

I'm sure this will open up a bit of debate.

It's all very well us supporters looking on and criticising the fitness levels in our squad but how accurate is this statement. For me our poor form is more down to lack of inspiration and personal pride. Or could it be that Slade is working them too hard in a misguided view of how fit they actually are.

Anyone who went to pre season games will remember that at half time Ole made wholesale changes and during the interval the players coming off spent the full 15 minutes doing 40 yard timed shuttle runs. You can't genuinely believe that Ole would use that approach with a group of players who'd just done a 45 minute stint if he didn't see the importance of stamina. I think we and others are just jumping on the bandwagon of a ready made excuse when things started to go wrong. Lack of fitness doesn't look like we looked Saturday. You could argue that was possibly more a lack of enthusiasm.

The mantra at any football club, even at the crap level I play at, is get fit pre season then just keep things topped up. That statement can't be truer than it is in the Championship.

In any professional sport a period of rest and recouperation is vitally important, it's important to recover from injury, tiredness and mental exursion.

So in the Championship where does that rest period come from. We play Saturday then Tuesday so I'm asuming Sunday and Wednesday are pretty much complete rest or at most very light training. Then what about pre game preperation. Should players go flat out on fitness the day before they play matches. Well if ours do then they would be amongst very few athletes stupid enough to take that approach. The risk of injury and possible subsequent tiredness on match day would be detrimental to how they perform under pressure.

So if the above are true reflections of a footballers week where and when do they put in these massive sessions that we believe Slade is putting them through. If he is putting them through it then for me that would explain lack lustre performances. I don't believe he is using that approach because it flies in the face of basic in-season fitness training.

Nor do I fully subscribe to the belief that Ole ignored fitness, of course he didn't. He would have been applying all those techniques and principles he'd learnt at Man Utd. Remember those - the ones that saw them go on and win many games right at the end when their opponents were dead on their feet.

So which is right. Is Slade killing them with over the top training, is it down to his tactics or team selection, or are the players not really giving it their all in games. I know when I watch my thoughts are that they don't always give 100% effort and not particularly that they'd do better if they were fitter.

Finally before I get nailed with the old 'they're highly paid athletes so they should be able to train hard every day' just consider why all other teams don't train flat out all the time. That's because it's an approach fraught with disaster.

There is definitely fitness & lack of motivation issues. I believe the lack of motivation is down to Ole's constant squad rotation, not giving key players much game time. With a fixed squad now in place, the other players will be fighting for a chance to get picked for the team!

There is definitely fitness & lack of motivation issues. I believe the lack of motivation is down to Ole's constant squad rotation, not giving key players much game time. With a fixed squad now in place, the other players will be fighting for a chance to get picked for the team!

So you dont think the team did hard enough work preseason, and if there is any fitness issues they might be overtraining?
We have a fixed squad with no rotation. Playing 3 games in 8 days. Before that they did double sessions for two weeks.
Nothing in Rene Skovdahl or Oles training history suggest the OP doesn't raise a very interesting point, and if he is right, what would the consequences regarding fitness be for the rest of the season?

There is definitely fitness & lack of motivation issues. I believe the lack of motivation is down to Ole's constant squad rotation, not giving key players much game time. With a fixed squad now in place, the other players will be fighting for a chance to get picked for the team!

So you dont think the team did hard enough work preseason, and if there is any fitness issues they might be overtraining?
We have a fixed squad with no rotation. Playing 3 games in 8 days. Before that they did double sessions for two weeks.
Nothing in Rene Skovdahl or Oles training history suggest the OP doesn't raise a very interesting point, and if he is right, what would the consequences regarding fitness be for the rest of the season?

I don't think the team worked hard enough under ole's regime, nothing to do with over training in fact the latter. I don't think it's fair at this point to make a big comment on Slade's training tactics but if it is true that he is now making them train more often and harder it certainly had an impact on the first two games.

There is definitely fitness & lack of motivation issues. I believe the lack of motivation is down to Ole's constant squad rotation, not giving key players much game time. With a fixed squad now in place, the other players will be fighting for a chance to get picked for the team!

So you dont think the team did hard enough work preseason, and if there is any fitness issues they might be overtraining?
We have a fixed squad with no rotation. Playing 3 games in 8 days. Before that they did double sessions for two weeks.
Nothing in Rene Skovdahl or Oles training history suggest the OP doesn't raise a very interesting point, and if he is right, what would the consequences regarding fitness be for the rest of the season?

I don't think the team worked hard enough under ole's regime, nothing to do with over training in fact the latter. I don't think it's fair at this point to make a big comment on Slade's training tactics but if it is true that he is now making them train more often and harder it certainly had an impact on the first two games.

I don't think recent hamstring and muscle problems in the team support that theory. Neither does Skovdahls rep as a tough and scientific fitness trainer. I think you will se the results of that very soon I'm affraid..

There is definitely fitness & lack of motivation issues. I believe the lack of motivation is down to Ole's constant squad rotation, not giving key players much game time. With a fixed squad now in place, the other players will be fighting for a chance to get picked for the team!

So you dont think the team did hard enough work preseason, and if there is any fitness issues they might be overtraining?
We have a fixed squad with no rotation. Playing 3 games in 8 days. Before that they did double sessions for two weeks.
Nothing in Rene Skovdahl or Oles training history suggest the OP doesn't raise a very interesting point, and if he is right, what would the consequences regarding fitness be for the rest of the season?

I don't think the team worked hard enough under ole's regime, nothing to do with over training in fact the latter. I don't think it's fair at this point to make a big comment on Slade's training tactics but if it is true that he is now making them train more often and harder it certainly had an impact on the first two games.

I don't think recent hamstring and muscle problems in the team support that theory. Neither does Skovdahls rep as a tough and scientific fitness trainer. I think you will se the results of that very soon I'm affraid..

So its going to get worse?

There is definitely fitness & lack of motivation issues. I believe the lack of motivation is down to Ole's constant squad rotation, not giving key players much game time. With a fixed squad now in place, the other players will be fighting for a chance to get picked for the team!

So you dont think the team did hard enough work preseason, and if there is any fitness issues they might be overtraining?
We have a fixed squad with no rotation. Playing 3 games in 8 days. Before that they did double sessions for two weeks.
Nothing in Rene Skovdahl or Oles training history suggest the OP doesn't raise a very interesting point, and if he is right, what would the consequences regarding fitness be for the rest of the season?

I don't think the team worked hard enough under ole's regime, nothing to do with over training in fact the latter. I don't think it's fair at this point to make a big comment on Slade's training tactics but if it is true that he is now making them train more often and harder it certainly had an impact on the first two games.

I don't think recent hamstring and muscle problems in the team support that theory. Neither does Skovdahls rep as a tough and scientific fitness trainer. I think you will se the results of that very soon I'm affraid..

So its going to get worse?

If the OP raise a valid question they will not get fit or find energy this season, and injuries will start to show. If he is wrong they will hit form. I'm no expert, but a very interesting question.

No I don't think Slade is working them to hard, it's his tactics and how he will cope against other Championship managers that I am worried about.

Nice to have some reasoned responses.

In support of my theory (and it is based on having a higher degree in Phys Ed) we've already seen a couple of possible consequences, both in the space of 5 minutes. Declan John pulling up in his warm up against Forest and Adeyemi pulling up after a first stretch into a tackle. These could both be consequences of over straining during prior training sessions. The result of then having to play a non tackling midfield player with absolutely no clue what to do at left back could easily have cost us the game.

Whilst we might live in hope that our players are superhuman, they will be subject to the same mental and physiological strains as me and you.

I realise your article has an element of the devil's advocate about it, but can't agree that Slade is working them too hard. For a start, half the squad don't play as Slade has gone for a first XI approach (I approve). These non-participants still need game fitness so increased training for them is a must. Your point about the 2 recent injuries could be right, but surely these took place during the warm up or very early in the game. I know soft tissue can become damaged by over training but if that was the case, why didn't the others in the team drop like flies during the 90 mins??

I just don't buy it. Spade has seen a lack of sharpness on the field and will have training data to call upon too. He must have spotted real problems throughout the squad to make public statements about it.

Just my opinion and no disrespect to a very detailed account. Let's hope it works itself out!

No

It's the managers job to get the players in the right frame of mind and pumped for games.

Ole failed at this miserably, the players didn't respect him.

Poor form? Under Slade we have won 2 and lost 1, hardly terrible.

Fitness has been an issue all season so I dont see how this is down to Slade.

Definately not. They were really fit under Malky then everything changed...

I'm sure this will open up a bit of debate.

It's all very well us supporters looking on and criticising the fitness levels in our squad but how accurate is this statement. For me our poor form is more down to lack of inspiration and personal pride. Or could it be that Slade is working them too hard in a misguided view of how fit they actually are.

Anyone who went to pre season games will remember that at half time Ole made wholesale changes and during the interval the players coming off spent the full 15 minutes doing 40 yard timed shuttle runs. You can't genuinely believe that Ole would use that approach with a group of players who'd just done a 45 minute stint if he didn't see the importance of stamina. I think we and others are just jumping on the bandwagon of a ready made excuse when things started to go wrong. Lack of fitness doesn't look like we looked Saturday. You could argue that was possibly more a lack of enthusiasm.

The mantra at any football club, even at the crap level I play at, is get fit pre season then just keep things topped up. That statement can't be truer than it is in the Championship.

In any professional sport a period of rest and recouperation is vitally important, it's important to recover from injury, tiredness and mental exursion.

So in the Championship where does that rest period come from. We play Saturday then Tuesday so I'm asuming Sunday and Wednesday are pretty much complete rest or at most very light training. Then what about pre game preperation. Should players go flat out on fitness the day before they play matches. Well if ours do then they would be amongst very few athletes stupid enough to take that approach. The risk of injury and possible subsequent tiredness on match day would be detrimental to how they perform under pressure.

So if the above are true reflections of a footballers week where and when do they put in these massive sessions that we believe Slade is putting them through. If he is putting them through it then for me that would explain lack lustre performances. I don't believe he is using that approach because it flies in the face of basic in-season fitness training.

Nor do I fully subscribe to the belief that Ole ignored fitness, of course he didn't. He would have been applying all those techniques and principles he'd learnt at Man Utd. Remember those - the ones that saw them go on and win many games right at the end when their opponents were dead on their feet.

So which is right. Is Slade killing them with over the top training, is it down to his tactics or team selection, or are the players not really giving it their all in games. I know when I watch my thoughts are that they don't always give 100% effort and not particularly that they'd do better if they were fitter.

Finally before I get nailed with the old 'they're highly paid athletes so they should be able to train hard every day' just consider why all other teams don't train flat out all the time. That's because it's an approach fraught with disaster.

Maybe these f*****s should work an 60 hour (including travel) week on peanuts and trying to make ends meet like the ordinary working man then they'd know what hard work is all about instead of training 3 times a week, running about, kicking a ball around and spending 90 minutes a week on Saturday getting exercise.

I'd love to see these overpaid. untalented prima doners do a proper weeks work. I'd have them in 5 days aweek. F****ng lazy c***s who are like politicians who are dispatched from reality.


Note: Expletives edited!

I'm sure this will open up a bit of debate.

It's all very well us supporters looking on and criticising the fitness levels in our squad but how accurate is this statement. For me our poor form is more down to lack of inspiration and personal pride. Or could it be that Slade is working them too hard in a misguided view of how fit they actually are.

Anyone who went to pre season games will remember that at half time Ole made wholesale changes and during the interval the players coming off spent the full 15 minutes doing 40 yard timed shuttle runs. You can't genuinely believe that Ole would use that approach with a group of players who'd just done a 45 minute stint if he didn't see the importance of stamina. I think we and others are just jumping on the bandwagon of a ready made excuse when things started to go wrong. Lack of fitness doesn't look like we looked Saturday. You could argue that was possibly more a lack of enthusiasm.

The mantra at any football club, even at the crap level I play at, is get fit pre season then just keep things topped up. That statement can't be truer than it is in the Championship.

In any professional sport a period of rest and recouperation is vitally important, it's important to recover from injury, tiredness and mental exursion.

So in the Championship where does that rest period come from. We play Saturday then Tuesday so I'm asuming Sunday and Wednesday are pretty much complete rest or at most very light training. Then what about pre game preperation. Should players go flat out on fitness the day before they play matches. Well if ours do then they would be amongst very few athletes stupid enough to take that approach. The risk of injury and possible subsequent tiredness on match day would be detrimental to how they perform under pressure.

So if the above are true reflections of a footballers week where and when do they put in these massive sessions that we believe Slade is putting them through. If he is putting them through it then for me that would explain lack lustre performances. I don't believe he is using that approach because it flies in the face of basic in-season fitness training.

Nor do I fully subscribe to the belief that Ole ignored fitness, of course he didn't. He would have been applying all those techniques and principles he'd learnt at Man Utd. Remember those - the ones that saw them go on and win many games right
I'd love to see these overpaid. untalented prima doners do a proper weeks work. I'd have them in 5 days aweek. F****ng lazy c***s who are like politicians who are dispatched from reality.


Note: Expletives edited!

Lol

That's more like the type of response I was expecting.

No

C'mon Baz - don't beat about the bush, tell us straight. You're overthinking it. Made me smile.

No

C'mon Baz - don't beat about the bush, tell us straight. You're overthinking it. Made me smile.

we lose one match and Slade is

A) tactically naive
B) not good enough
C) working the players too hard
D) not even in charge

Some of the stuff I've seen on here since Saturday is truly hilarious. We lost a game. It happens in this league. We lost games in the season we went up, we lost games in many seasons before.

The reaction to the first loss is ridiculously, especially as everyone thought he was the second coming of Christ after the first two games.

Definately not. They were really fit under Malky then everything changed...

Yes, I remember when we played Arsenal and Wenger stated we were the fittest side they had played.

Not sure about this, really, but if they are putting in double training sessions at this stage of the season, we won´t see any positive effects of this for a while, I´m afraid. Legs full of training is hard to move. We´ll see how the season goes, but typically, Ole´s teams have been slow starters, but superior finishers.

I think the balance is off. Like you said it should be get fit pre season and maintain it during, but we didn't get fit pre season. So as we're playing the catch up game our players are all picking up injuries and knocks!

Remember under malky our injury list was always so low. One thing he did get spot on was the physical treatment of the players and it's a fine science!

No

C'mon Baz - don't beat about the bush, tell us straight. You're overthinking it. Made me smile.

we lose one match and Slade is

A) tactically naive
B) not good enough
C) working the players too hard
D) not even in charge

Some of the stuff I've seen on here since Saturday is truly hilarious. We lost a game. It happens in this league. We lost games in the season we went up, we lost games in many seasons before.

The reaction to the first loss is ridiculously, especially as everyone thought he was the second coming of Christ after the first two games.

The difference is with this away I thought there was some positives. First half mainly.

No

C'mon Baz - don't beat about the bush, tell us straight. You're overthinking it. Made me smile.

we lose one match and Slade is

A) tactically naive
B) not good enough
C) working the players too hard
D) not even in charge

Some of the stuff I've seen on here since Saturday is truly hilarious. We lost a game. It happens in this league. We lost games in the season we went up, we lost games in many seasons before.

The reaction to the first loss is ridiculously, especially as everyone thought he was the second coming of Christ after the first two games.

To sum it up in one word, I think "fickle" springs to mind!!

These arguments all crop up, under Malky in the second half of the season people said he worked into them ground in the first half that's why we didn't perform to the standards we did in the second half of the season.. then it's Ole not training them hard enough now people saying Slade is.

It's annoying because there appears to be no middle ground in working to hard or not working them hard enough.

These arguments do crop up when your losing. I was chatting to Aaron gunnarson two days after he had captained Iceland to a win over holland. I asked him what's the new gaffer like, he said he had some choice words about the level of fitness. He then said and I agree with him. Different debates over different players as some haven't had match fitness but make what you want of the words from one of our fittest players.

Totally agree with chuckles

No

C'mon Baz - don't beat about the bush, tell us straight. You're overthinking it. Made me smile.

we lose one match and Slade is

A) tactically naive
B) not good enough
C) working the players too hard
D) not even in charge

Some of the stuff I've seen on here since Saturday is truly hilarious. We lost a game. It happens in this league. We lost games in the season we went up, we lost games in many seasons before.

The reaction to the first loss is ridiculously, especially as everyone thought he was the second coming of Christ after the first two games.

I think if you look it over, a few either got lucky or knew what they where talking about. Either way it's the way it penned out

Lol

As the initial poster and not a very lucky one, I'd like to claim that I got a lot of things right in that early assessment of where we were going to end up!

Think you made a good call there Skewet. Sadly.

Lol

As the initial poster and not a very lucky one, I'd like to claim that I got a lot of things right in that early assessment of where we were going to end up!

You did...