A theory on player fitness…

[JT89]

We can all see that the overall fitness of the squad is poor, Wilder even complains about it despite being here for months and having ample time to improve it but he hasn’t.

I’m not wondering if it’s possible that we got lucky in that regard during his first spell as manager.

At the time we had a number of players, Jack O’Connell, George Baldock (RIP ), and others who were known to regularly post videos/photos on their social media working with their own personal trainers and seemingly having an interest in fitness training rather than it being part of the job.

I’m now wondering if we maybe had more of a fitness culture amongst the players back then but driven more by certain players within the group rather than the management team?

 

[Bladedog]

We can all see that the overall fitness of the squad is poor, Wilder even complains about it despite being here for months and having ample time to improve it but he hasn’t.

I’m not wondering if it’s possible that we got lucky in that regard during his first spell as manager.

At the time we had a number of players, Jack O’Connell, George Baldock (RIP ), and others who were known to regularly post videos/photos on their social media working with their own personal trainers and seemingly having an interest in fitness training rather than it being part of the job.

I’m now wondering if we maybe had more of a fitness culture amongst the players back then but driven more by certain players within the group rather than the management team?

Yes probably...we was the same last year when Wilder was here...Leeds at home springs to mind.

 

[Sportbilly /Detroit Blade]

We can all see that the overall fitness of the squad is poor, Wilder even complains about it despite being here for months and having ample time to improve it but he hasn’t.

I’m not wondering if it’s possible that we got lucky in that regard during his first spell as manager.

At the time we had a number of players, Jack O’Connell, George Baldock (RIP ), and others who were known to regularly post videos/photos on their social media working with their own personal trainers and seemingly having an interest in fitness training rather than it being part of the job.

I’m now wondering if we maybe had more of a fitness culture amongst the players back then but driven more by certain players within the group rather than the management team?

You could be right, but these are professional footballers, and a big part of their job is the physical fitness to perform in elite(!) level sport.

What I struggle to understand is whilst I'd say the players have a lot of responsibility for doing the right things away from the club (eating right, resting properly, and all that bullshit), what are the club doing with them on a day to day basis that leaves many of them seemingly so unfit by the bar of a professional footballer?

 

[JT89]

You could be right, but these are professional footballers, and a big part of their job is the physical fitness to perform in elite(!) level sport.

What I struggle to understand is whilst I'd say the players have a lot of responsibility for doing the right things away from the club (eating right, resting properly, and all that bullshit), what are the club doing with them on a day to day basis that leaves many of them seemingly so unfit by the bar of a professional footballer?

Of course it's a big part of their job, but it's the same as every job where there will be aspects that certain players don't enjoy but do because it's part of their job.

I'm not suggesting any of our current players don't do what's asked of them in training or lifestyle. But I'm just wondering if we had a few players back then who had more of a passion for the fitness side as well as just the football side which may have driven other players to push themselves a little more in terms of fitness, we could all see how together that squad was and if your mates are pushing you and encouraging you not just your bosses then maybe you'll work a little bit harder for them?

 

[BerksBlade]

To me it beggars belief that a professional footballer - particularly one that hasn't played for 2 weeks - cannot last beyond 65 minutes

 

[Bladesman]

 

[JT89]

He's had months since he returned and not improved the fitness. What are they planning to do in a few weeks of pre-season that they couldn't do in the months he's been back?

 

[crucialkneeligaman]

He's had months since he returned and not improved the fitness. What are they planning to do in a few weeks of pre-season that they couldn't do in the months he's been back?

This.

 

[jt64]

To me it beggars belief that a professional footballer - particularly one that hasn't played for 2 weeks - cannot last beyond 65 minutes

This is a world where we all have five subs to use. The game is orders of magnitude more demanding than it used to be. Some people simply don't have the tank for a full 90 at that level. Others might, but immediately become a liability against fresher legs, forcing your own hand with a sub in kind. You're basically never subbing off the keeper or either centre back. That leaves eight starters. We have five subs. Playing the full 90 should therefore be the exception, not the rule, if you are remotely competent at game planning.

 

[dexter101]

He's had months since he returned and not improved the fitness. What are they planning to do in a few weeks of pre-season that they couldn't do in the months he's been back?

I think the general guidance is you build fitness pre season, during the season the focus is on maintainence and prehab/ rehab.

I actually think its more of a mental thing than genuine fitness.

The post reference Baldock and O'Connell, you could also argue that they put 100% in to everything they did (playing, fitness, etc). I think our players actually check out mentally when it gets tough and for many that then means not looking fit enough.

 

[bakeblade]

He's had months since he returned and not improved the fitness. What are they planning to do in a few weeks of pre-season that they couldn't do in the months he's been back?

It's an easy excuse to pass the buck

 

[JT89]

I think the general guidance is you build fitness pre season, during the season the focus is on maintainence and prehab/ rehab.

Yes, but surely if a manager comes into a club in a month into the season and they notice the player fitness isn't good enough then they would put a plan into place to improve it.

In pre-season we have friendlies so the players can get "match fit" because training doesn't always replicate the intensity or fitness needed for games, we've had more than enough games since he returned for them to have improved fitness if they'd put a plan in place to do it.

 

[Bladedog]

And then we,ll sign players at the end of August who won't be u to the same level of fitness.

 

[Blade In Flame]

Who is in charge of fitness? Is it Matt Prestridge?

 

[FriethBlade]

And therein may lie the problem, fitness and sports science has moved a long way since Wilder was a player. Beasting players in pre season isnt necessarily the way to go and our 'old school' approach with Wilder and Knill may be in need of an update.

I thought that was something the new owners were going to focus on with their background in healthcare.

And for Wilder still to be blaming the pre season on our fitness levels now is laughable given hes been here for 6 months!!!

 

[Gimli]

So he knows it’s an issue (we’ve all known it for ages) so why hasn’t he done anything about it?

 

[JT89]

So he knows it’s an issue (we’ve all known it for ages) so why hasn’t he done anything about it?

He's been moaning about it himself for months and blaming Selles, but he's still not done anything about it...

 

[JT89]

And therein may lie the problem, fitness and sports science has moved a long way since Wilder was a player. Beasting players in pre season isnt necessarily the way to go and our 'old school' approach with Wilder and Knill may be in need of an update.

I thought that was something the new owners were going to focus on with their background in healthcare.

And for Wilder still to be blaming the pre season on our fitness levels now is laughable given hes been here for 6 months!!!

It's hard to be progressive when a dinosaur is running the show

 

[Hillsboro Blade]

So he knows it’s an issue (we’ve all known it for ages) so why hasn’t he done anything about it?

I’ve finally come to the conclusion that Wilder is full of piss and vinegar. A Chemical Ali character trying to fool the masses. Would make a good politician.

 

[CornwallBlade]

This is a world where we all have five subs to use. The game is orders of magnitude more demanding than it used to be. Some people simply don't have the tank for a full 90 at that level. Others might, but immediately become a liability against fresher legs, forcing your own hand with a sub in kind. You're basically never subbing off the keeper or either centre back. That leaves eight starters. We have five subs. Playing the full 90 should therefore be the exception, not the rule, if you are remotely competent at game planning.

Agreed but our issue is that the energy levels seem to diminish as soon as we get past 60 mins, even with subs on. So, is it fitness or tactics i.e. dropping deeper and conceding midfield?

 

[Bladedog]

He's been moaning about it himself for months and blaming Selles, but he's still not done anything about it...

He did fuck all about it last season n all.

 

[Danetheblade]

We can all see that the overall fitness of the squad is poor, Wilder even complains about it despite being here for months and having ample time to improve it but he hasn’t.

I’m not wondering if it’s possible that we got lucky in that regard during his first spell as manager.

At the time we had a number of players, Jack O’Connell, George Baldock (RIP ), and others who were known to regularly post videos/photos on their social media working with their own personal trainers and seemingly having an interest in fitness training rather than it being part of the job.

I’m now wondering if we maybe had more of a fitness culture amongst the players back then but driven more by certain players within the group rather than the management team?

Said this previously, every Wilder team bar the first/second season suffer from poor fitness, it’s not a new thing. It’s been pretty consistent since the third season.

 

[jt64]

Agreed but our issue is that the energy levels seem to diminish as soon as we get past 60 mins, even with subs on. So, is it fitness or tactics i.e. dropping deeper and conceding midfield?

Probably a combination of all of it. Might just be a pacing issue, and we're over pressing in the early stages? That's fine if you're able to get the ball and keep it, then let the other team chase the game, but as we don't seem to be content to just keep the ball (or, in a lot of situations, able), it results in everyone looking like they've been through twelve rounds with Tyson by twenty past four

 

[Nedski]

So he knows it’s an issue (we’ve all known it for ages) so why hasn’t he done anything about it?

Cos it's easier for him to blame everyone else than take responsibility and fix it.

It all comes down to bad management. The tactics are wrong - we're so slow in the build up we expel more energy trying to break the opposition down. We press hard in the first half and use up more energy, then spend the second half hitting it long, giving they opposition loads of possession and chasing shadows. No wonder they are knackered.

It's been mentioned on here about Wilder and his lack of control off the pitch - whereas Selles had players in the hotel early on matchdays to prepare them and get focused, Wilder lets them turn up as and when they please. Hamer and Campbell are perfect examples of players that do what they want which means they probably eat and drink what they want and it shows when they are clearly overweight and unfit and have been all season.

This old school crap has to end.

 

[Borbokisfreekick]

From Boxing Day last season to the end of the season we dropped 10 points from leading positions, as well as threw away the play off final in the last 15 mins.

Our fitness and game management in the second half of last season was as bad as it is now.

Wilder has had 8 months, and 4 international breaks to get the players fit, plus we were knocked out of the Cup in the 3rd round.

His teams since he came back in 2023 aren’t fit, we wilted in the last 15 mins of games last season, same during the premier league season, same this season. Even in the first half of last season we got a lead and then hung on, we never got stronger as the game went on.

Awful fitness, poor game management, poor subs and no desire to keep the ball when we get a lead. It will be the same next season.

 

[nopigfansintown]

You can't fix pro athletes fitness mid season in athletic sports 2026 regardless of the sport. The exception to the rule is combat sports where you can take your athlete away for a 6-12 week tailored camp and monster them. Not happening in football when you need results. Obvious cases in point being Campbell and Hamer this season. Should we have left them until November - December before we played them? Probably, but it's never going to happen.

It's an elite athletic sport now. Our fitness has improved but we're obviously behind the other teams. I'd like to think it'll be sorted for next season but the chances of us having most of our recruitment sorted for pre season is unlikely given the sheer numbers we need due to past windows. That cycle has to be broken.

We have about 15 players who have a future at the club assuming none of the players we want to stay leave. That leaves us needing 10, probably more.

 

[Shawy24]

From Boxing Day last season to the end of the season we dropped 10 points from leading positions, as well as threw away the play off final in the last 15 mins.

Our fitness and game management in the second half of last season was as bad as it is now.

Wilder has had 8 months, and 4 international breaks to get the players fit, plus we were knocked out of the Cup in the 3rd round.

His teams since he came back in 2023 aren’t fit, we wilted in the last 15 mins of games last season, same during the premier league season, same this season. Even in the first half of last season we got a lead and then hung on, we never got stronger as the game went on.

Awful fitness, poor game management, poor subs and no desire to keep the ball when we get a lead. It will be the same next season.

Will be worse. At least 3 of our better players sold to finance the season. Dead wood still here on long expensive contracts that we can’t shift on. All simply not good enough. Scraping the Hoyland barrel for recruitment. Fitness and conditioning still non existent as it’s the same crew that have failed before. Coaching drills run by Knilly who needs putting out to grass. Mr Arrogant still here insisting its his way or the highway and he’ll play his favourites or rubbish he signed at great cost to justify his (lack of) judgement. Owners without a clue and with financial pressures elsewhere unable, unwilling and scared to make a change.

I expect a managed meltdown down and engineered departure with compo for Wilder in December.

Call me Nostradamus.

 

[54yrblade]

Cos it's easier for him to blame everyone else than take responsibility and fix it.

It all comes down to bad management. The tactics are wrong - we're so slow in the build up we expel more energy trying to break the opposition down. We press hard in the first half and use up more energy, then spend the second half hitting it long, giving they opposition loads of possession and chasing shadows. No wonder they are knackered.

It's been mentioned on here about Wilder and his lack of control off the pitch - whereas Selles had players in the hotel early on matchdays to prepare them and get focused, Wilder lets them turn up as and when they please. Hamer and Campbell are perfect examples of players that do what they want which means they probably eat and drink what they want and it shows when they are clearly overweight and unfit and have been all season.

This old school crap has to end.

I've heard similar. Selles changed the routines, wanted more discipline over when they turned up, what they ate etc. Many really didn't fancy it, apparently.
And here we are .....

 

[Rufus Smalls]

From Boxing Day last season to the end of the season we dropped 10 points from leading positions, as well as threw away the play off final in the last 15 mins.

Our fitness and game management in the second half of last season was as bad as it is now.

Wilder has had 8 months, and 4 international breaks to get the players fit, plus we were knocked out of the Cup in the 3rd round.

His teams since he came back in 2023 aren’t fit, we wilted in the last 15 mins of games last season, same during the premier league season, same this season. Even in the first half of last season we got a lead and then hung on, we never got stronger as the game went on.

Awful fitness, poor game management, poor subs and no desire to keep the ball when we get a lead. It will be the same next season.

Agree totally with that view.

The bit I would argue with is - 'no desire to keep the ball when we get a lead'. I think it is more a lack of skill and movement off the ball which stops us from keeping possession with a lead.