How fit are SUFC -

[Rayleigh boy]

"Curbishley was heartened by the superior fitness, pace and slick passing presented to Southend"

you can't do anything about clubs having better players but are our boys as fit as the opposition ?

last year I thought a number of clubs had leaner and faster looking squads and was surprised to learn from here (SZ) that the club had no fitness specialist on the staff -

its not that any players are "unfit" but that their full potential is not being realised because they are not maximising their athletic performance -

i wonder if there have been any changes

 

[duncan bulgaria]

I felt that was one of our major downfalls yesterday, i know west ham are a prem club , but their fitness, pace , strength was a class above ours, for example it was the first time i have seen Ethrington and Llungberg live and usually when i have seen them on T.V would not have put them down as physically strong players in general , but yesterday we looked like boys against them and it is worrying .

Our biggest players , Barrett Harrold and Clarke looked tiny up against West hams Zamora , Cole ,Ferdinand and Gabbidon.

I felt every ball they put into the box was causing us problems and we conceaded from yet another set piece.


Not the end of the world as 2 divisions apart but with weeks till the new season we really need to shape up at the back and start getting stuck in a bit more

 

[fbm]

When you consider how fit Yeovil were in the paly off game against Forest at the end of the season this is and has been for years a major worry.

I have always thought that other teams are fitter than we are. I don't know why that should be necessarily but I dare say the frequenting of various night clubs in the area during the season doesn't help for some.

 

[Cricko2]

Yesterday I did notice that Spam always attacked and defended as a unit whereas we were always much slower to get organised.

 

[Prodigal Son]

As I have mentioned on other posts I am just back from holiday, and whilst in Portugal we discovered Barnsley were training at the sports centre just down the road from us. We popped along to take in an evening session and was very impressed. They were there for a week training for two hours early morning followed by gym sessions in the afternoon and another session in the evening. They had a fitness coach on board and were putting alot into it.

Crewe Alexandra had been there the week before and Sunderland were there for a few days in another resort. Whilst reading the papers every club, even small ones seem to be either on tour or at a training camp when to the besty of my knowledge we do not extend beyond Gloucester Park and Club Kingswood. My point here is that Barnsley had the players together 100% for a week doing lots of training,watching everything they eat and so on.

Surely this is a benefit, and I was going to ask why we do not do something similar? However, having been very critical of the club on another post I was going to hold back.

Incidentally, the Barnsley players/coaches were very friendly and just came up and started talking to the few on the sidelines,and I was'ny looking to engage in conversation with them. Nick Colgan was great, shouting out encouragement to my so (a goalkeeper) whilst I gave him soe shots on the sidelines.

 

[EastStandBlue]

I think we'll start to see the effects of the newly employed Sports Scientists towards the middle of the season as the methods they introduce really begin to influence the players...

One thing i really want us to see is to try a high altitude training camp, it'll really improve the lads fitness levels and i know loads of clubs have used these...

 

[Mighty Shrimper]

I think we'll start to see the effects of the newly employed Sports Scientists towards the middle of the season as the methods they introduce really begin to influence the players...

Didnt Tilson say something like only 60% of the players have agreed to use the sports scientist? If thats the case I find thay worrying and if I were Tilly, I wouldnt be giving the players a choice in the matter.

Its like during pre season when they go for a run and say Barrett turns round and says "Boss, I aint doin this running lark its too tiring and I cant be arsed".

 

[JoshC]

i agree but remember we cant compare our players against a team who playin arguealby the best division in the world and have millions of money to throw away on fitness. on the other hand im sure i read somewhere (might have been here) about tilly getting the players on an eating plan but only 60% were doing this. to me this is a disgrace, they are proffesionals and as we play their wages they should put in the effort off the pitch too, im suprised that tilly hasn't pushed the other 40% to join really

 

[Mighty Shrimper]

i agree but remember we cant compare our players against a team who playin arguealby the best division in the world and have millions of money to throw away on fitness. on the other hand im sure i read somewhere (might have been here) about tilly getting the players on an eating plan but only 60% were doing this. to me this is a disgrace, they are proffesionals and as we play their wages they should put in the effort off the pitch too, im suprised that tilly hasn't pushed the other 40% to join really

Great minds eh :D

 

[leeblue]

Very unfair to compare us(a small club) to a massive club like west ham who have a budget thirty times higher than ours, reckon back to back promotions probably shows that tilly does get the fitness right and a fair comparison would be against teams in our league

 

[JoshC]

Very unfair to compare us(a small club) to a massive club like west ham who have a budget thirty times higher than ours, reckon back to back promotions probably shows that tilly does get the fitness right and a fair comparison would be against teams in our league

wow i didnt need to say anything did i both of my pont are sandwiched between other people saying exactly the same:hilarious:

 

[shrimper4life]

I was surprised we didnt have a nutritionist or fitness coach before this season. would have thought most if not all clubs in the top 3 divisions would have this. It is worrying seeing some players put on the booze every sat night and having maccy d's.

 

[Blueshrimper]

Im suprised we don't have mister motivator doing the pre match warm up with the lads.

 

[overseas shrimper]

Didnt Tilson say something like only 60% of the players have agreed to use the sports scientist? If thats the case I find thay worrying and if I were Tilly, I wouldnt be giving the players a choice in the matter.

Its like during pre season when they go for a run and say Barrett turns round and says "Boss, I aint doin this running lark its too tiring and I cant be arsed".

I can only assume that Tilly doesn't make it compulsary because players that aren't 100% committed will only go and sneak a McDonalds, chips or whatever on the sly.

 

[NZamba Legend]

On the other hand, I'm sure I have read very recently that some of the players say that this is the tougest pre-season they have had. I didn't think fitness was too much of an issue on saturday- like last season our weaknesses were lack of pace and height at the back.

 

[londonblue]

I think people are being a bit unfair here. Maybe we're not as fit as West Ham, but I don't know how you can measure given the amount of substitutions during the match. From what I could see the issue wasn't fitness, it was a lack of cohesion towards the end, and after 9 changes I think that's understandable. I also seem to recall something my dad and I both noticed; there was a period of play during the match where Clarke matched Belamy for pace and took the ball from him.

Don't also forget it wasn't that long ago that Duncan Jupp ran the entire length of the Millenium Stadium pitch after 114 minutes (I think) to put us 2-0 up against Lincoln (whilst not one Lincoln player got back). I don't recall anyone complaining about our fitness then. In fact, I remember The Times calling us supremely fit, or words to that effect.

 

[leeblue]

well said LB

 

[turkishm]

Surely fit fitness has to do with how much you are prepared to put in to it, not what league you play in. Southend have full time proffessionals who do this for a living,if they are not fit when it time for kick of then they should be, that is the least i expect.

 

[Mr. Benedict]

I think people are being a bit unfair here. Maybe we're not as fit as West Ham, but I don't know how you can measure given the amount of substitutions during the match. From what I could see the issue wasn't fitness, it was a lack of cohesion towards the end, and after 9 changes I think that's understandable. I also seem to recall something my dad and I both noticed; there was a period of play during the match where Clarke matched Belamy for pace and took the ball from him.

Don't also forget it wasn't that long ago that Duncan Jupp ran the entire length of the Millenium Stadium pitch after 114 minutes (I think) to put us 2-0 up against Lincoln (whilst not one Lincoln player got back). I don't recall anyone complaining about our fitness then. In fact, I remember The Times calling us supremely fit, or words to that effect.

Good example - for the past few seasons at least the squad has looked fine at the end of the season (fitness-wise). As people have said, the comparisons with the Spammers are a bit unfair.

 

[Jam_Man]

It is worrying seeing some players put on the booze every sat night and having maccy d's.

Wow young men drinking, never thought Id see that. I agree they should give up their personal lives completely.

Theres nothing wrong with a player drinking after a game as long as they dont do it the night before one...