Burn Out

[The Wolf Of Wombourne]

Haven't seen it mentioned on here but what are people's thoughts on potential burn out for some of our key players?

Mainly thinking Raul who's still playing now even though preseason has started, you've got Saiss at the AFCON and obviously the Portugal lads were at the nations league.

Does anyone think it's an issue with our small squad and the football Nuno demands? I'm mildly worried about Raul myself due to the amount of work he got through last year and will need to this year especially having no break either this summer or last.

Anyone else have any thoughts on this or is it a non-issue?

 

[WonderWolf]

Have been thinking about this myself, reckon it could be a genuine cause for concern.

Jimenez is phenomenal with this effort and it just has to all catch up with him at some point.....wouldn't be normal if he just continued on and on.

Need another proper striker in the squad.

 

[Golden Arrow]

If I'm correct, Coady played in every game last season.
Perhaps he's going for the record by repeating the same feat but this time including the Europa competition as well.

 

[Pagey]

Was listening to a debate about this on Talksport recently.
Apparently Alexis Sanchez has only had 2 summers of in the last 10. Maybe thats why his career is dying so early.
Regarding Raul, id assume he will get 2 or 3 weeks off, then return. Will need to manage his workload over the season.

 

[dennison11]

Raul will prob miss the tour of China and Europa ties or just arrive for the last game then back for real start of Prem season

 

[AlexWolvesHD]

I trust the fitness team to manage each player correctly, they will know who needs a longer break, who needs to be brought back in and when. I imagine Jimenez and Saiss wont be back until close to the season starts.

 

[Fazwolf]

If I'm correct, Coady played in every game last season.
Perhaps he's going for the record by repeating the same feat but this time including the Europa competition as well.

The physical effort for the two positions is completely different.

Sweepers probably run less than anyone on the team. That's the role.

Raul is constantly on the go chasing down .. running into space.. works as hard in my opinion as the midfield.

 

[BlahBlah]

Haven't seen it mentioned on here but what are people's thoughts on potential burn out for some of our key players?

Totally agree, especially with Jimenez. They talk about the excitement of pre-season and returning players...his season started about 4 weeks ago and he's just played 120 minutes of nasty football with potentially the same again twice more over the next week.
It's mental sharpness and losing the killer instinct from playing so many games, and the increased risk of injury and pulled muscles. Players do need rest for the sake of rest or they can't maintain standards.
Ryan Giggs had it off to a tee and was notorious for being granted rests by Ferguson and ducking out of every Welsh friendly going....but he played until he was 40 and proved a point.
Compare him to Michael Owen who was flogged by Liverpool and reckoned he was physically finished at 23 and spent the remainder of his career trying to cover it up to the detriment of his mental health.

It's the same as cricket, when i think Bairstow was interviewed at the start of the season and they asked him if he was excited. He said he doesn't have time to get excited as a pro cricketer who plays all year round in every part of the world. There's always another competition starting when one finishes so there's no "pre-season" anymore....they grab a few weeks off when they can.
I remember when Pietersen played Big Bash over here and he flew back from Australia to the UK every Xmas for 4 nights to see his family.
He reckoned the mental boost and comfort from keeping a personal routine that he felt in control of made up for the travelling and spending 60 hours in the air.

 

[Golden Arrow]

The physical effort for the two positions is completely different.

Sweepers probably run less than anyone on the team. That's the role.

Raul is constantly on the go chasing down .. running into space.. works as hard in my opinion as the midfield.

Wasn't following the thread tbh and was certainly not making a comparison with anyone else in the team.
Just making a comment about our fine Captain that's all.

 

[Deleted member 5635]

Don't worry we have a big squad and are adding to it

 

[themanwhobuiltthemoon]

As with all top-level clubs, this is where the sports scientists and fitness people earn their money.

Look at all the players who played in the Champions League final this year who also went deep into last summer's World Cup (appreciate nearly every player in the CL final looked leggy but that was probably more down to the two-week break between games that long-term burnout)

 

[Mr Wolf]

Nuno needs to change to continue the success, I’d prefer to manage 30 people also but the level of work requires 45 so that’s that.

 

[WolfInSheep'sClothing]

The only one that worries me is Raul.

 

[WolfLing]

I don't think Raul is anything to worry about. He played 44 games and 3,550 minutes of football for us last season.

But in the 4 seasons previous he was mainly used as a super-sub for Athleitco and Benfica and played less than half the minutes in all of those seasons (17/18 - 1,452, 16/17 - 1,182, 15/16 - 1,685, 14/15 - 1,065).

With International football on top, it's a heavy workload, but he hasn't had year after year of it, so should be OK and even better with some quality support/backup coming in.

 

[JOSWolf]

Very much need a new striker to compete with him sooner rather than later.

 

[Agent Cooper]

I trust the fitness team to manage each player correctly, they will know who needs a longer break, who needs to be brought back in and when. I imagine Jimenez and Saiss wont be back until close to the season starts.

This. Based on player availability the last 2 seasons we seem to have the best fitness & conditioning coaches in the business.

If you manage players correctly then burn out is a non issue. With increased matches the key is not to over train players between games. Something our coaches seem adept at doing.

The only thing that could affect us is a bit of jet lag from the extra travelling away for Europa fixtures. Although it was only Raul who looked particularly jaded after an international break. Only to be expected considering distance travelled and difference in time zones compared to Europe. This is why it is important to get better options in the squad than Costa and Cav up top to help with rotation and keep Raul and Jota fresh.

 

[clivewolves]

I was reading the Neves interview this morning and he mentioned him and the players in the Portugal squad have had three weeks holiday. As I was reading it I thought that doesn't seem a lot. Hopefully some of the under 23s will be able to step up to the challenge this season.

 

[Bankswolf The Third]

You also have Saiss playing the ACON as well, I know he isnt a first teamer but you got to wonder.
It is a risk but with all the technology they have you would have to hope they have things put in place to avoid it. I wouldn't be surprised if Jiminez didn't play until Leicester

 

[Agent Cooper]

I was reading the Neves interview this morning and he mentioned him and the players in the Portugal squad have had three weeks holiday. As I was reading it I thought that doesn't seem a lot. Hopefully some of the under 23s will be able to step up to the challenge this season.

3 weeks is a decent "break". The reality is no top footballer ever has a complete break these days. Even while on holiday they will still do some fitness conditioning which will have been tailored for them by our fitness coaches. It will be just lower intensity to give the body a bit of a "rest" but keep it ticking over ready for resuming full training when required.

 

[Bostin]

Don't forget the winter break in Feb as well!

 

[Mr Wolf]

I know we have Europa but the Premier League games up until November don’t really come thick & fast, they have 2 international breaks also don’t they?

I think last season I remember the first 11 games took 86 days, the next 11 took 42.

 

[Bostin]

Not really many more games than the Championship is it really!

 

[db86]

Best not to worry about it, I am sure our trained medical staff/team have it all covered for every scenario.....

like they are paid to!

 

[arctic rime]

I know we have Europa but the Premier League games up until November don’t really come thick & fast, they have 2 international breaks also don’t they?

I think last season I remember the first 11 games took 86 days, the next 11 took 42.

A very salient point

 

[The Wolf Of Wombourne]

I know we have Europa but the Premier League games up until November don’t really come thick & fast, they have 2 international breaks also don’t they?

I think last season I remember the first 11 games took 86 days, the next 11 took 42.

I suppose the problem is an international break for our boys now means jetting off around the world to play 2 games and train for a week and a half. I'd imagine with a couple out (Costa being one) and a few in, the majority of the team will be in international squads.