[Albion] Evan Ferguson

[jcdenton08]

It drains sufferers of energy and dwells.

I think a lot happens in the gym. Watching the first day back video on YouTube showed lots of physios and fitness coaches working with and assessing players; I suppose that is these guys (or rather their replacements). There’s probably loads of sports sciency stuff we don’t get to see or really consider.

 

[Machiavelli]

That’s one thing I never understood - what exactly all of those people did.

Didn’t question it at the time as Potter hardly left us overstaffed.

I always thought that they were working on developing intensity to generate 'marginal gains' in matches: in one-on-ones, explosive sprints, etc. I seem to remember noticing an uptick in the post-WC period but that might have been more to do with players reaching/getting closer to their peak, improved confidence, etc

 

[Withdean South Stand]

Or maybe RDZ is of the opinion, as Mourinho is, that the players are responsible for their own conditioning. The players who want to do the work will do it, the players who don't won't and will get left behind. There's probably a better balance to be struck than we achieved last season!

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Ha! Not enough fitness instead of the over training claimed. Too intellectual instead of too emotional? Who’d have thunk it? Not NSC.

Back to Ferg and another tidbit I was told by someone with no reason to lie was that a lot of his absence / drop off was illness rather than injury last season.

Interesting. That makes sense. Bloody viruses. We have had some weird ones at chez Tackle in recent months, including inexplicable pains and fatigue.

 

[The Mole]

Glandular fever can be very, very nasty. Sometimes people (wrongly) compare it with a generic sore throat as part of a cold, but GF if not given time to fully recover (such as, say, with a professional sportsman desperate return to action when still under the weather) can be very serious indeed. Can lead to anemia, issues with liver, kidneys and even neurological issues.

My sister lost almost a year of school with it - as you say it can be very unpleasant

 

[heathgate]

I can - not only another Albion player, but another Irish striker of a similar age.

Is there any trend here, young Irish strikers make a splash then tail off badly once new contracts are made available?.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Glandular fever can be very, very nasty. Sometimes people (wrongly) compare it with a generic sore throat as part of a cold, but GF if not given time to fully recover (such as, say, with a professional sportsman desperate return to action when still under the weather) can be very serious indeed. Can lead to anemia, issues with liver, kidneys and even neurological issues.

I was only 8 when I had it, but missed two full terms at school, going back and forth to the hospital for blood tests.

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

Whilst not talking about Ferguson specifically, I have it on very good authority that there was concern that RDZ's training methods may have contributed to last season's injury woes, but not in the way some have speculated about previously.

Instead of overworking players in training, the training load was relatively light - lots of stop/start tactical sessions and fewer intense sessions than might be expected. As such, the players just weren't best conditioned for 90+ minutes of intense Premier League football.

Do you have any indication as to whether that's something that changed at the start of last season, or if it was the same in RDZ's first season as well?

Just wondering if it was a deliberate reduction in an attempt to reduce workload because of concern around the European matches.

 

[Flounce]

Or maybe RDZ is of the opinion, as Mourinho is, that the players are responsible for their own conditioning. The players who want to do the work will do it, the players who don't won't and will get left behind. There's probably a better balance to be struck than we achieved last season!

Fine with senior players not ideal with kids I would have thought, which would explain why RDZ wanted experienced players?

 

[Gabbiano]

Or maybe RDZ is of the opinion, as Mourinho is, that the players are responsible for their own conditioning. The players who want to do the work will do it, the players who don't won't and will get left behind. There's probably a better balance to be struck than we achieved last season!

I don't get that logic. We're talking about professional high performance athletes, not just a bunch of guys who like to go to the gym.

Leaving them to their own devices for fitness and conditioning risks them doing the wrong things, being lazy, injuring themselves or at the very least being inefficient in their efforts. It's too much of a risk to allow that to happen when you're paying these players £millions per year.

Surely fitness and conditioning should always fall under the remit of the coaching staff. If nothing else, because they need their players in top condition in order to perform to their best levels.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

I don't get that logic. We're talking about professional high performance athletes, not just a bunch of guys who like to go to the gym.

Leaving them to their own devices for fitness and conditioning risks them doing the wrong things, being lazy, injuring themselves or at the very least being inefficient in their efforts. It's too much of a risk to allow that to happen when you're paying these players £millions per year.

Surely fitness and conditioning should always fall under the remit of the coaching staff. If nothing else, because they need their players in top condition in order to perform to their best levels.

Given that FH's St. Pauli team had the highest running stats in their league last season, I would assume that fitness, as a group, will be a key part of the team training; if we are looking to replicate that.

 

[aolstudios]

Interesting. That makes sense. Bloody viruses. We have had some weird ones at chez Tackle in recent months, including inexplicable pains and fatigue.

Me & Mrs Studios have both had weird shin pains. Post covid apparently

 

[amexer]

Yep, they are at the Marbella Football Center. Looks like Dominic Calvert-Lewin has also just been there:-

Have not read all of thread but with our training facilities at Lancing Why are the in Marbella

 

[jcdenton08]

Me & Mrs Studios have both had weird shin pains. Post covid apparently

My neck hasn’t been the same post-COVID. Nothing major but just “off”. Weird isn’t it, viruses can quite literally change your molecular structure.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Is there any trend here, young Irish strikers make a splash then tail off badly once new contracts are made available?.

Both probably had viral infections, one likely impacting on field performance, the other’s off field performance.

 

[JBizzle]

Or maybe RDZ is of the opinion, as Mourinho is, that the players are responsible for their own conditioning. The players who want to do the work will do it, the players who don't won't and will get left behind. There's probably a better balance to be struck than we achieved last season!

I'm not sure the modern game really allows for that lack of control from a management team. Maybe with older pros on specific regimes with PTs but we have best-in-class facilities, it'd be insane if we then just went "Crack on lads, get fit or don't"

 

[Han Solo]

Ha! Not enough fitness instead of the over training claimed. Too intellectual instead of too emotional? Who’d have thunk it? Not NSC.

Back to Ferg and another tidbit I was told by someone with no reason to lie was that a lot of his absence / drop off was illness rather than injury last season.

Ye nothing says "intellectual" like avoiding all sports science ever produced. "I watch scout players on Youtube", "don't really give a shit about set pieces", "don't know how to periodise training"...

I've heard the rumour about Evan Ferguson and glandular fever all of last season. It makes little to no sense. He's been interviewed a few times, people have asked about him, both him, club and Ireland have been open about his injury troubles and him trying to play through injury.

If it was glandular fever, whats the purpose of hiding it? Wouldn't it been in the best interest of the club, Evan and his agent if someone said "Evan has struggled with sickness but will be back to his best" or whatever. Rather than have hundreds if not thousands of people speculating about his fall from grace and him becoming the next Aaron Connolly etc.

 

[Ooh it’s a corner]

Is there any trend here, young Irish strikers make a splash then tail off badly once new contracts are made available?.

No

 

[Withdean South Stand]

I don't get that logic. We're talking about professional high performance athletes, not just a bunch of guys who like to go to the gym.

Leaving them to their own devices for fitness and conditioning risks them doing the wrong things, being lazy, injuring themselves or at the very least being inefficient in their efforts. It's too much of a risk to allow that to happen when you're paying these players £millions per year.

Surely fitness and conditioning should always fall under the remit of the coaching staff. If nothing else, because they need their players in top condition in order to perform to their best levels.

I agree with you - it feels fairly obvious to me that the coaching staff should be monitoring the fitness work being done by the players and it should be mandated that the players are at a certain level. I don't want to misquote Mourinho, but he said something to the effect of the players have the equipment at the club, the coaches and physios on hand to help/guide their sessions but that the manager and his staff weren't responsible for the players doing the work or not doing the work. It didn't sit overly well with me, although I am big on self-responsibility and owning your career - there's surely got to be an expectation that the players aren't just left to their own devices!

I'm not sure the modern game really allows for that lack of control from a management team. Maybe with older pros on specific regimes with PTs but we have best-in-class facilities, it'd be insane if we then just went "Crack on lads, get fit or don't"

I also agree with you - perhaps it's why Mourinho isn't winning as much as he was 20 years ago!

 

[Hiheidi]

If it was glandular fever, whats the purpose of hiding it? Wouldn't it been in the best interest of the club, Evan and his agent if someone said "Evan has struggled with sickness but will be back to his best" or whatever. Rather than have hundreds if not thousands of people speculating about his fall from grace and him becoming the next Aaron Connolly etc.

My only thought, IF he had it and wanted it kept quiet, was to protect his girlfriend, should she get the blame.