Fitness - Excuses?
Mar 4, 2021 18:45:28 GMT
Post by northwesthoop on Mar 4, 2021 18:45:28 GMT
There has been a lot of talk about fatigue, 'managing schedules', less 'high intensity runs' from players, demands on players and suchlike in the last week or so...
This thread looks at some comparisons to show how modern footballer are just overprotected and how all of this talk is just excuses...
Some of this has been discussed a few years ago, but seems relevant again now when every manager has player fitness on the tip of their tongue
During 1989/90 Andy Sinton played every one of QPR's games. 50 appearances.
He played in all the league cup matches.
In the FA Cup he played in a 3rd round replay, a 4th round replay, TWO 5th round replays and also a Quarter Final replay.
9 appearances in the FA Cup alone
After the first Blackpool FA Cup replay we beat Millwall.
After the second replay we beat Arsenal in the league.
After the Liverpool replay we beat Spurs.
Sinton scored.
He did not need resting nor his schedule putting in the hands of lab scientists.
Same case in point in 1991/92 with David Bardsley:
He not only played all the League Cup and FA Cup matches that season but he also played both matches in the Zenith Data Systems Cup. A competition that now would be treated with no respect and reserved for players we've never even heard of.
That season we used this almost full strength team in a Zenith Data Systems Cup Match Vs Norwich:
Stejskal, Bardsley, Wilson, Tilson, Maddix, Peackock, Holloway, Barker, Thompson, Bailey, Sinton.
3 days later we smashed Everton 3-1 in the top tier.
The exact same line up played.
We played Man City in the League Cup the next midweek. The same team played. They didn't need matches off and excuses. They played football.
In 1976/77 Ian Gillard and Don Masson both played 58 games including European Football - a run to the Quarters - and a run to the League Cup Semis - a semi final played over 3 matches!
Givens and Parkes played 57 matches that season. Hollins 56, Webb 55, McLintock 53.
And yet now Lee Wallace can't possibly play 6 matches in a row?
Charlie Austin can't possibly do more than 55 minutes against Birmingham?
Ilias Chair can't run about as much as before?
Do. Me. A. Favour.
Something, somewhere along the line, has gone very wrong with football.
This thread looks at some comparisons to show how modern footballer are just overprotected and how all of this talk is just excuses...
Some of this has been discussed a few years ago, but seems relevant again now when every manager has player fitness on the tip of their tongue
During 1989/90 Andy Sinton played every one of QPR's games. 50 appearances.
He played in all the league cup matches.
In the FA Cup he played in a 3rd round replay, a 4th round replay, TWO 5th round replays and also a Quarter Final replay.
9 appearances in the FA Cup alone
After the first Blackpool FA Cup replay we beat Millwall.
After the second replay we beat Arsenal in the league.
After the Liverpool replay we beat Spurs.
Sinton scored.
He did not need resting nor his schedule putting in the hands of lab scientists.
Same case in point in 1991/92 with David Bardsley:
He not only played all the League Cup and FA Cup matches that season but he also played both matches in the Zenith Data Systems Cup. A competition that now would be treated with no respect and reserved for players we've never even heard of.
That season we used this almost full strength team in a Zenith Data Systems Cup Match Vs Norwich:
Stejskal, Bardsley, Wilson, Tilson, Maddix, Peackock, Holloway, Barker, Thompson, Bailey, Sinton.
3 days later we smashed Everton 3-1 in the top tier.
The exact same line up played.
We played Man City in the League Cup the next midweek. The same team played. They didn't need matches off and excuses. They played football.
In 1976/77 Ian Gillard and Don Masson both played 58 games including European Football - a run to the Quarters - and a run to the League Cup Semis - a semi final played over 3 matches!
Givens and Parkes played 57 matches that season. Hollins 56, Webb 55, McLintock 53.
And yet now Lee Wallace can't possibly play 6 matches in a row?
Charlie Austin can't possibly do more than 55 minutes against Birmingham?
Ilias Chair can't run about as much as before?
Do. Me. A. Favour.
Something, somewhere along the line, has gone very wrong with football.
I am with you on this, hence my observations about their more scientific prep/recovery and mention of a softer ball (I might have added better pitch conditions too now I think of it). Given they are being paid almost obscene amounts each week for roughly the same number of years playing as of old, we really should be expecting and demanding more from them. 
