Fitness and Conditioning

[Addison]

I've posted this a few times in response to Deadbats reports but the decision not to replace the Head of Sports Science and Fitness and Conditioning coach when Slav left is seriously impacting on our chances of making the play offs IMO. Thats not a criticism of PH more of those above from a penny pinching perspective.

Our level of injuries and players carrying knocks is far too high in comparison to the last two 46 game seasons we played raising questions about the management of injuries off field. PH admitted yesterday that they hadn't done any intensive training since Tuesday night to avoid any more problems. That spectacularly back fired to-day as it did against the Wall when we gave the team an extra day off. Our levels of conditioning are nowhere near those when we were last in the Championship when Prestridge was the HOSS. Too many players picking up niggles when they aren't playing regularly. Davies a prime example all season and now Goode and Mcb to-day.

Its too late in the day now to resolve this but some serious questions need to asked as to why this situation came about should a mounting injury list kill our momentum.

 

[chesblade]

Hecky saying a lot of injuries down to state of training pitch and needs sorting in the summer

 

[DeanLearner'sCat]

Firstly our facilities have needed upgrading for a long time. But also some players have mentioned how there was a lack of intensity under Jokanovic, and how since Hecky has come in, it's more like when Wilder was here. I think we were undercooked in those first few months, and while the raising of day-to-day intensity has led to improved results and performances, it's come at a price.

 

[drblade]

Hecky suggesting in his post-match interview that the training pitch is causing some of the injuries. Sounds like a shambles up at Shirecliffe.

ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqSRFEzek_w

UTB

 

[nopigfansintown]

Multiple issues.

Our dog shit preseason. People mock the importance of pre seasons on here, but if you don't get it right your players won't have the required fitness levels all season, and will be prone to muscle and other more serious injuries, and tired looking displays.This was gross negligence.

Not replacing Prestridge. The best fitness coach United have had since Tony Daley left, wasn't replaced, leaving a huge hole that, as of yet, hasn't been filled. Incredible negligence considering the relative inexpense.

Facilities. Chris Wilder et al were right and will remain right until this is sorted.

Management of players. Too many gambles have been taken with the likes of Brewster, Berge, Bogle, Stevens etc that have resulted in them predictably breaking down. You play players two or three times a week when they don't have a pre season behind them and/or or are recovering from injury - you can have no complaints when they break down.

Transfer policy. We have moved a lot of players on despite being well aware of our injuries and ridiculous schedule. The kid at Forest being an obvious case in point.Our recruitment has been meagre to say the least. I envisage that Neal will be back soon, or do we risk Berge, Osborn MGW etc to play in the next two games?

Not enough rotation. There are times when I expect to see more changes yet we keep flogging the same gassed players.When the game was effectively over yesterday we still kept vital players on. The same vs Boro. Resources need managing better.

Bad luck. You can't legislate for impact injuries e.g. Basham.

 

[Cheesebored]

Hecky saying a lot of injuries down to state of training pitch and needs sorting in the summer

Not a dig at you but that's bollocks. The pitches at shirecliffe are like billiard tables. It's the indoor facilities that are comparatively poor.

 

[CPB]

Not a dig at you but that's bollocks. The pitches at shirecliffe are like billiard tables. It's the indoor facilities that are comparatively poor.

Given 3 managers have mentioned they need improving and some of the players I'd be inclined to agree with hecky.
In the past it's been more about building new structures and facilities.

However one issue CW had in summer of 2020 was about pitches.

CW asked them to improve one of the pitches whilst also that new building was under construction because some are unusable in the winter months. (We've now cancelled this construction)
Complete radio silence from the owners and then later in the week Coulibaly is announced as signing and Wilder had zero idea about this transfer at all. He was pretty p'eed off.

 

[Liaminho9]

Not a dig at you but that's bollocks. The pitches at shirecliffe are like billiard tables. It's the indoor facilities that are comparatively poor.

Have you played on them, or just seen them?

 

[Cheesebored]

Given 3 managers have mentioned they need improving and some of the players I'd be inclined to agree with hecky.
In the past it's been more about building new structures and facilities.

However one issue CW had in summer of 2020 was about pitches.

CW asked them to improve one of the pitches whilst also that new building was under construction because some are unusable in the winter months. (We've now cancelled this construction)
Complete radio silence from the owners and then later in the week Coulibaly is announced as signing and Wilder had zero idea about this transfer at all. He was pretty p'eed off.

Let's get back to running in graves Park and training on the old Abbeydale Grange fields. I'm up on Shirecliffe fairly regularly and it's a smokescreen IMO. The main training pitches are absolutely perfect. Were the pitches to blame for our performance against Middlesbrough as well then?

 

[Cheesebored]

Have you played on them, or just seen them?

 

[Whiston Blade]

Were the pitches to blame for our performance against Middlesbrough as well then?

Isn't the discussion about injuries more than our actual performances..?

 

[Cheesebored]

Isn't the discussion about injuries more than our actual performances..?

Fair comment but if you haven't been up there and seen them, I'd advise you to.

 

[John Cutsbushes]

Hecky was blaming the blaming the Covid Christmas break before, now it's the training pitch, which was a bog after the Fulham game
Strange to link that with our injuries now, we didnt play for a month after Fulham
Think he let his frustrations get the better of him in his interview, we are now going to have to bring in another kid to sit on the bench at Blackpool, and hope the starting 11 last 90 mins, with only Ndiaye a viable option, and at a push Jebbo

 

[SwissBlade]

Hecky was blaming the blaming the Covid Christmas break before, now it's the training pitch, which was a bog after the Fulham game
Strange to link that with our injuries now, we didnt play for a month after Fulham
Think he let his frustrations get the better of him in his interview, we are now going to have to bring in another kid to sit on the bench at Blackpool, and hope the starting 11 last 90 mins, with only Ndiaye a viable option, and at a push Jebbo

We didn’t have a full team of players out with soft tissue injuries at Christmas.

Hecky was asked directly about the probable cause of the injuries and specifically whether he was looking at the cause of non impact injuries.

Hecky then went into the concern about soft tissue injuries because we train on what he referred to as a bog at times and then playing on beautiful pitches (which are harder)

To go back to the other point about indoor pitches. We have crap indoor facilities, apparently so when it’s relentless rain outside, we don’t have the option to then train fully indoor.

 

[Addison]

Multiple issues.

Our dog shit preseason. People mock the importance of pre seasons on here, but if you don't get it right your players won't have the required fitness levels all season, and will be prone to muscle and other more serious injuries, and tired looking displays.This was gross negligence.

Not replacing Prestridge. The best fitness coach United have had since Tony Daley left, wasn't replaced, leaving a huge hole that, as of yet, hasn't been filled. Incredible negligence considering the relative inexpense.

Facilities. Chris Wilder et al were right and will remain right until this is sorted.

Management of players. Too many gambles have been taken with the likes of Brewster, Berge, Bogle, Stevens etc that have resulted in them predictably breaking down. You play players two or three times a week when they don't have a pre season behind them and/or or are recovering from injury - you can have no complaints when they break down.

Transfer policy. We have moved a lot of players on despite being well aware of our injuries and ridiculous schedule. The kid at Forest being an obvious case in point.Our recruitment has been meagre to say the least. I envisage that Neal will be back soon, or do we risk Berge, Osborn MGW etc to play in the next two games?

Not enough rotation. There are times when I expect to see more changes yet we keep flogging the same gassed players.When the game was effectively over yesterday we still kept vital players on. The same vs Boro. Resources need managing better.

Bad luck. You can't legislate for impact injuries e.g. Basham.

He's out of the game at the moment owning 2 gyms in Birmingham. He knows McCall and the Club from his time here. No brainer IMO to pick up the phone and speak to him.

 

[Bladeloyal]

We didn’t have a full team of players out with soft tissue injuries at Christmas.

Hecky was asked directly about the probable cause of the injuries and specifically whether he was looking at the cause of non impact injuries.

Hecky then went into the concern about soft tissue injuries because we train on what he referred to as a bog at times and then playing on beautiful pitches (which are harder)

To go back to the other point about indoor pitches. We have crap indoor facilities, apparently so when it’s relentless rain outside, we don’t have the option to then train fully indoor.

The indoor pitch in the new block up at shirecliffe is superb half size 4 g

 

[SwissBlade]

The indoor pitch in the new block up at shirecliffe is superb half size 4 g

Apparently not up to scratch though for what we need at this level

 

[Caseh]

Hecky was blaming the blaming the Covid Christmas break before, now it's the training pitch, which was a bog after the Fulham game
Strange to link that with our injuries now, we didnt play for a month after Fulham
Think he let his frustrations get the better of him in his interview, we are now going to have to bring in another kid to sit on the bench at Blackpool, and hope the starting 11 last 90 mins, with only Ndiaye a viable option, and at a push Jebbo

Serious? What he said made perfect sense.

 

[Rudders]

I take what Addison said and what Hecky mentioned very seriously (PhD in footy or whatever it is Hecky has got. In my mind he should be our director of football). If you want good results in any business or life in general - employ good people.
Surely the cost of employing a good head of sports science pays for itself in terms of keeping key players fit and increased points/more chances of promotion.
Also likely to be cheaper than relaying training pitches or improving drainage.
Also the constant playing of Billy Sharp for every minute of our games seems to fly in the face of sports science, hopefully we will get away with that one.

It seems that United generally need to improve their facilties and their technical workforce.

 

[Bladeloyal]

Hey Chris it's a massive investment at shirecliffe or a Oli ,fuck that I'll have a Oli .managers who would have them

 

[Bladeloyal]

Hey Chris it's a new kop or MC b give me a MC b

 

[Ball_Sup (Phil)]

I doubt anyone really knows what Heckingbottom is on about. There are 4 grass pitches, one outdoor plastic, one indoor plastic & other smaller grass areas at Shirecliffe. Does anyone claim to know what he thinks should be done? All four grass pitches relaid? A particular drainage issue? Different pitches relaid with different surfaces? I hate all this yakking about "facilities". I go to a lot of training grounds in my game. Sure, they're all different. But, they all apparently have "facilities" better than ours. Up the Facilities...

 

[Addison]

Performance guru Tom Little on Sheffield United and his winning formula

The club's head of performance has been immediately impressed with his new surroundings after linking up with Paul Heckingbottom and Jack Lester once more

www.examinerlive.co.uk

Tom Little, could turn out to be one of the best signings of the window. Head of Performance / Sports Science. Much needed position filled. Hopefully we won't see players now blowing out of their arses after an hour.

 

[Houston_Blade]

Performance guru Tom Little on Sheffield United and his winning formula

The club's head of performance has been immediately impressed with his new surroundings after linking up with Paul Heckingbottom and Jack Lester once more

www.examinerlive.co.uk

Tom Little, could turn out to be one of the best signings of the window. Head of Performance / Sports Science. Much needed position filled. Hopefully we won't see players now blowing out of their arses after an hour.

The appointment of Tom Little has been negated by the fact that we can’t train as we haven’t got a training kit, or so some might have you believe.

 

[Alex Cheeseright]

Performance guru Tom Little on Sheffield United and his winning formula

The club's head of performance has been immediately impressed with his new surroundings after linking up with Paul Heckingbottom and Jack Lester once more

www.examinerlive.co.uk

Tom Little, could turn out to be one of the best signings of the window. Head of Performance / Sports Science. Much needed position filled. Hopefully we won't see players now blowing out of their arses after an hour.

Agree. He talks about "fine tuning" etc and, hopefully, if he can get the team playing with the intensity of the Wilder promotion year.

 

[Ndiayewillalwaysloveyou]

Performance guru Tom Little on Sheffield United and his winning formula

The club's head of performance has been immediately impressed with his new surroundings after linking up with Paul Heckingbottom and Jack Lester once more

www.examinerlive.co.uk

Tom Little, could turn out to be one of the best signings of the window. Head of Performance / Sports Science. Much needed position filled. Hopefully we won't see players now blowing out of their arses after an hour.

The shirecliffe sniper aka Tom Little.

 

[Edgar Allan Poo]

The shirecliffe sniper aka Tom Little.

Is that his 'injury list' face?