New manager Brendan Rodgers *confirmed*

[The Rouge]

I can't believe the fuss over this comment.

Going back 10+ years, the first bit of pre-season training used to be running, running, gym work and some more running. Modern coaching methods over the last ten years have moved this towards more ball work and getting the running done with a ball never too far out of the picture. This potentially lets the players have a bit more fun, helps with bonding and slightly works on the technical whilst addressing the physical.

I imagine Rodgers just takes this a step further. Alongside movement, technical footballing ability was an area of weakness last year (first touch, passing straight, shooting striaght) and I hope Rodgers, with his training and his transfer market activity, tries to address this.

[Alan Partridge]

A lot of teams will spend the first 2 weeks or so solidly running and doing fitness work, Rodgers simply says we will do some ball work as well. They aren't going to be stood around just smacking it around to each other.

Where's the issue?

[winchester_royal]

Rodgers' non-traditional coaching
Posted on: Mon 08 Jun 2009
I'm not a traditional coach so there won't be a lot of time in the gym or a lot of time just running.
"We had a saying that you don't buy a piano and run around it, you play it. It's the same with a football.

Anyone can talk a good game...he'll be sh!te

Basicly the Barcelona team ran about 10% to 20% further distance alltogether than Manchester Uniteds team were able to. Who won the match?
You simply can not argue with those statistics.
The Arsenal unbeaten side did the same thing a few years ago, they ran further, and they passed the ball faster, closed down the opponents.

Is this a joke? Barcelona beat United because of Xavi and Iniesta's ability on the ball. The unbeaten Arsenal team were succesful because of players like Henry and Bergkamp, not because they ran around a lot.

As someone mentioned earlier there has been an awful lot of tripe written on these boards, but that beats anything either Royalee, Thou Voice, or even Kes, have ever written.

[daswonder]

Rodgers is just following Mourinho's way at the end of his Chelsea reign and at Inter (and the way most new age managers ala Guardiola), he focused about getting the players match fit with the ball rather then marathon fit (which is the way 99% of pre season work is done the football world.)

[TBM]

At the end of the day the reason we're sat behind a desk moaning on a internet forum and he's a professional football manager, says it all.

He obviously knows what he's talking about and has his own style he wants to adopt into this club........last season everyone on here was moaning that we didn't play enough football on the floor, so he wants to bring this in and now you're all moaning that he wont be doing any fitness training

Anyway, if a player is a professional then they'll do their own fitness training if they dont feel they are 100% there with what they do in training.

[Archies Left Foot]

As other have said it's "not just running" . One technique I have seen in the past was having to do 20 lengths of the pitch without the ball touching the ground in 10 minutes (not using hands of course) then 20 with ball at feet in 8 minutes and if the ball was dropped during the first 20 lengths or not done within the time allocated, it was go again.....

[Tommy Youlden's Ears]

One missed sylable and he's shyte. One good friendly and he'll be the new messiah. Lucky we're all so perfect.

I'm going to watch for half a season or more before I start to form a firm opinion.

[Ian Royal]

As other have said it's "not just running" . One technique I have seen in the past was having to do 20 lengths of the pitch without the ball touching the ground in 10 minutes (not using hands of course) then 20 with ball at feet in 8 minutes and if the ball was dropped during the first 20 lengths or not done within the time allocated, it was go again.....

I could start that first one now and live to be 103 and still not have finished it.

This may well be an HNA first, but I completely agree with snowball's comments above. This is getting serious, first Royalee now snowball. I'm agreeing with all my evil nemisises at the moment. I must have been brainwashed.

[papereyes]

Rodgers is just following Mourinho's way at the end of his Chelsea reign and at Inter (and the way most new age managers ala Guardiola), he focused about getting the players match fit with the ball rather then marathon fit (which is the way 99% of pre season work is done the football world.)

Mourinho at the start of his reign, I would say.

But yes.

I'm not a traditional coach so there won't be a lot of time in the gym or a lot of time just running.

As far as I'm concerned, that's a really positive statement.

[Bill Oddie's Beard]

Rodgers is just following Mourinho's way at the end of his Chelsea reign and at Inter (and the way most new age managers ala Guardiola), he focused about getting the players match fit with the ball rather then marathon fit (which is the way 99% of pre season work is done the football world.)

Mourinho at the start of his reign, I would say.

But yes.

I'm not a traditional coach so there won't be a lot of time in the gym or a lot of time just running.

As far as I'm concerned, that's a really positive statement.

100% agreed, I'm baffled as to how anyone can see this as a bad thing.

[Thaumagurist*]

Rodgers is just following Mourinho's way at the end of his Chelsea reign and at Inter (and the way most new age managers ala Guardiola), he focused about getting the players match fit with the ball rather then marathon fit (which is the way 99% of pre season work is done the football world.)

Mourinho at the start of his reign, I would say.

But yes.

I'm not a traditional coach so there won't be a lot of time in the gym or a lot of time just running.

As far as I'm concerned, that's a really positive statement.

100% agreed, I'm baffled as to how anyone can see this as a bad thing.

Just hope that the players will be fit enough to last the entire season....

[Bill Oddie's Beard]

Meh, we'll be promoted by March so it won't matter.

[papereyes]

Just hope that the players will be fit enough to last the entire season....

I dunno - I think he's gonna let them eat cake and surf on here all day.

[brendywendy]

james harper was out in reading at the mix bar on saturday


is this the start of the new slack regime that rodgers proposes?

[Royalee]

http://www.readingfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10306~1689302,00.html

Go on Brendan!

[Wizard]

I share your excitement Royalee. He is certainly making the right sounds.

[Super_horns]

My own warning is that we did seem to tire or let in a few late goals last season under Rodgers which cost us some points albeit we also scored a few as well.

He likes the 4-5-1 formation but from what some of your fans on the 606 site are saying that would actually suit your players more?

[Ian Royal]

My own warning is that we did seem to tire or let in a few late goals last season under Rodgers which cost us some points albeit we also scored a few as well.

He likes the 4-5-1 formation but from what some of your fans on the 606 site are saying that would actually suit your players more?

We're light on quality strikers (certainly after Doyle goes) and we've got a stack of good central midfielders. None of whom have really shown they can work together as pair for more than a few games successfully. Three may be able to fill out the weaknesses of any two combined.

Personally I like Harper, Marek and one of Tabb, Karacan, Cisse or Gunarsson. Although I'd happily see Karacan, Tabb and one other as well...

[Gordons Cumming]

I'm looking forward to new style Royals.

Seeing our team pass again will remind me of the McGhee days.

[Super_horns]

I'm looking forward to new style Royals.

Seeing our team pass again will remind me of the McGhee days.

So long as its effective I guess....ofcourse is was good to see some football but there were a few games where we had a lot of the ball but created little e.g. against you guys but you will already have better players and and at time we weren't in form but you were.