Bobby was applauded for his bravery in offloading long-term injury prone players in Ferguson and Howey. Does that mean we are going to see the same this Summer?

Griffin, Marcelino, Gallacher and Lee have all picked up niggling injuries throughout the season which have kept them out of contention at the precise times that they have most been needed (stretching it with Marcy).

Then there is the contentious decision as to how many more breakdowns to allow the 2mil a season man: he's given us consistent return in 2 out of 5 seasons which would never be acceptable from any of the others. Does the ruthlessness not extend to him?

How big a contributory factor is it to the current idleness and lack of fitness that senior players are "wrapped in cotton wool" (aka being excused having to work up a sweat in training to prove fitness) but still allowed to turn out on a Saturday? Surely a consistent and equitable code of expectation and treatment is essential in team building?

Are we going to see a decent pre-season with everyone being put through their paces or are we going to protect and molly-coddle them again? Gullit was villified for putting them through an intense fitness programme, with posters on this forum saying that "anyone can make people tired", but there's no denying that they lasted longer last season. None of the poxy listlessness and heavy-legs during the second half which has embarrassed us so badly this season.

We always play like we are conserving energy from the kickoff: if a ball is going for a throw-in or a goal-kick then nobody can be arsed to try to keep it in and keep the momentum going, if we have a throw-in it's always a case of waiting for the fullback to come up and take it. We trundle lamely from one predictable set-piece to the next and get caught flat-footed by any change of pace from the opposition.

These guys are meant to be athletes. If they cannot avoid injury for 3 consecutive games then we get no consistency. If they cannot survive for 90 minutes then we get beaten. If they cannot be arsed to train properly they should be disciplined. If they are not being made to train properly then we need a change of management.

-- Anonymous, May 04, 2001

Answers

There is no doubt that the changes you have highlighted Softie, need to happen.

They are wholesale changes in terms of playing staff and can that be brought about in one close season?

-- Anonymous, May 04, 2001

there is a train of thought that says injuries happen to unprepared people. By unprepared, we mean lack of fitness or otherwise. It is quite possible that this is a serious issue, one that needs to be addressed by the evaluation of each players overall fitness, and this should be done several times a year including at close season and at the beginning of pre-season training.

Football is no longer a sport for which you can take two months off in summer. Players should realise that they need to keep themselves at the peak of fitness, irregardless of the time of year.

This goes along with the general idea that one of our major flaws is the need of a decent training facility. This is something that needs to happen, for the betterment of the entire club.

So the question is, should management turn a potentially huge transfer kitty back to the club in an effort to find a means to get better facilities, and stand pat the way things are, or go out and "try" and attract "name" players to the squad, without such facilities?

-- Anonymous, May 04, 2001

Nobby has commented that the players look tired against Southampton! (Has someone been telling Nobby that English for SHITE is TIRED?)

Obviously the lack of fitness which has really been in evidence all season is highlighted when you have a couple of matches in a short space of time, but Southampton looked okay.

Hopefully with Robson saying the lads will be training from July 6th is an indication that he sees the fitness levels as a major problem.

By the way, what time do the lads normally return for training?

-- Anonymous, May 04, 2001

I haven't seen Nobby's quote, but I also thought some of the players looked leg-weary during the 2nd half on Tuesday, in particular Dabz, Bassedas and Speed.

In Dabz case it is perhaps not surprising given his extended lay-off. In fact, I wouldn't have played him at all on Tuesday after he played the full 90 minutes on Saturday.

Interestingly, 34 yr-old Gallacher kept going better than most, and could probably have lasted the 90 minutes.

We have played very few games over the last 3 months or so, so why our players should be lacking fitness right now is extremely worrying, and can only be down to a lack of adequate physical conditioning - and from what I've seen of training down at the Riverside, this doesn't surprise me one little bit. As someone else has mentioned, this is possibly also contributory to the injury situation.

-- Anonymous, May 04, 2001

FITNESS

anyone who's enjoyed john beresford's memoirs on nufc.com can have no doubt why footballers are not as fit as they might be.

stories about the team getting drunk on the bus on the way back from away games, and how he can recall how well each player could "handle his ale" make me sick.

apparently footballers in england are not serious athletes.

as for the current squad, they're going thru the motions, many of them know they're out at the end of the season. i'm surprised they can fight off the hangovers and make it tp training at all.

-- Anonymous, May 04, 2001

If a number of the players were going to be leaving the club, do you think the deals are done already. If the deals have been completed the players will know through their agents and discussions with their new club.

Nowadays most deals inevitably get leaked to the press in one way or another, but we haven't read anything conclusive in the recent press.

It could be why Robson has effectively given up on the no-hopers and chooses to go and watch a player in Holland rather than waste his time with that lot.

-- Anonymous, May 04, 2001

Actually you got a point there G. Best. I dont think english clubs behave like they did before but lets not forget Bobby is from the days when drinking in buses before away games was part of the deal. The success of many norweigian players, clubs and their national team came from an increased level of training. The trained much more then any other and it payed off. Many other have cached up know and Norway aren't that succesfull anymore.

I'm afraid Bobby isnt the manager in England that makes his player train the most, rather the opposite.

-- Anonymous, May 04, 2001

Robson has arguably got the most experience of coaching in different countries. He has seen all the different cultures and preparation methods, all the fitness regimes etc etc.

If he can't organise it to suit the way the game is played in England there is something seriously wrong. Especially when you see some of the halkf wits who are running Premierhsip sides at the minute.

-- Anonymous, May 04, 2001

Hope you'r right. I'm not so sure.

-- Anonymous, May 04, 2001