"A New Hope"? (Episode iv)

[neverwozza]

I think the issue with the A-League is that players have to peak at the end of the season because we place so much importance on the Grand Final. Under normal circumstances and with us having such a short season you would think that squads would get flogged in the off season and be at peak fitness for the start of the season. However a team might do that and do really well and be first past the post but if they are flat for the finals and get knocked out in the first or second game it would be considered by most to be an unsuccessful season. The point that I'm trying to make (very badly) is that I believe most a-league clubs balance the fitness load with the aim to being at peak fitness for the final series rather than the start of the season like in most other countries.

 

[finally retired]

I actually meant to add something like that to my post but forgot. I agree completely. One of the best things FFA could do now is appoint Clarky to some new role as Director of Fitness Coaching or something and put him in charge of training fitness coaches around the country as well as looking after the national team. I know he used to do stuff with Ourimbah Uni, so I reckon he'd be up for it.

noooooooo....we NEED Clarky back at the Mariners where he can really help, not doing some airy-fairy FFA job

 

[yellowcake]

(Aside from their direct value to the team...) the fan goodwill if Clarky and Crawley could be lured back to to Coast would be immense. More than any returning player.

 

[Ancient Mariner]

Much of the strength and conditioning should be done well before the season started. When I played rugby (union) (a long long time ago) we started our training straight after Christmas.
Back intros days training sessions during the season used to be on Tuesday and Thursday nights, even in the professional teams. Everyone had real jobs then.

 

[Michael]

(Aside from their direct value to the team...) the fan goodwill if Clarky and Crawley could be lured back to to Coast would be immense. More than any returning player.

If Crawley ever came back and Kennedy were still here I think a John Crawley statue would need to be erected. Because he is the only man on the face of the earth that could make Kennedy a real goalkeeper.
I don’t know what Crawley does or how he does it but the man has a 100% success rate with every keeper he’s worked with.

 

[nebakke]

If Crawley ever came back and Kennedy were still here I think a John Crawley statue would need to be erected. Because he is the only man on the face of the earth that could make Kennedy a real goalkeeper.
I don’t know what Crawley does or how he does it but the man has a 100% success rate with every keeper he’s worked with.

I'm a big fan of Crawley's work and would love him back, but let's not forget that Pasfield was coached by him too ;-)

 

[UnitedsNo9]

I think the issue with the A-League is that players have to peak at the end of the season because we place so much importance on the Grand Final. Under normal circumstances and with us having such a short season you would think that squads would get flogged in the off season and be at peak fitness for the start of the season. However a team might do that and do really well and be first past the post but if they are flat for the finals and get knocked out in the first or second game it would be considered by most to be an unsuccessful season. The point that I'm trying to make (very badly) is that I believe most a-league clubs balance the fitness load with the aim to being at peak fitness for the final series rather than the start of the season like in most other countries.

Understand what you are saying and interesting point, but (with minimal respect to the players) the HAL season is relatively quite short. If professional athletes cant be fit for 5-6 months a year then pack it in.

 

[neverwozza]

Understand what you are saying and interesting point, but (with minimal respect to the players) the HAL season is relatively quite short. If professional athletes cant be fit for 5-6 months a year then pack it in.

Yeah totally agree and I believe its why our players seem to pick up so many injuries when they move overseas because they aren't used to the more intense training environment.

 

[Wombat]

If Crawley ever came back and Kennedy were still here I think a John Crawley statue would need to be erected. Because he is the only man on the face of the earth that could make Kennedy a real goalkeeper.
I don’t know what Crawley does or how he does it but the man has a 100% success rate with every keeper he’s worked with.

Redmayne has been the one thing that stopped Sydney from dominating. He is still way way below the level of a Thomas or even a Reddy but the fact that Crawley has turned a shit keeper into a servicable first 11 keeper is simply amazing.

 

[bikinigirl]

I think the issue with the A-League is that players have to peak at the end of the season because we place so much importance on the Grand Final. Under normal circumstances and with us having such a short season you would think that squads would get flogged in the off season and be at peak fitness for the start of the season. However a team might do that and do really well and be first past the post but if they are flat for the finals and get knocked out in the first or second game it would be considered by most to be an unsuccessful season. The point that I'm trying to make (very badly) is that I believe most a-league clubs balance the fitness load with the aim to being at peak fitness for the final series rather than the start of the season like in most other countries.

. so we should be hitting our peak now ... just in time for the ...

. oh ... umm, forget it

 

[Big Al]

. so we should be hitting our peak now ... just in time for the ...

. oh ... umm, forget it

For the jets is what you meant