09 Jul 2019 05:46:59
There are reports suggesting that Ole's main focus in pre-season is building up fitness.
I believe that is the right way to begin.

The fitness, stamina of our players in the last 8-10 games were piss poor.
Poch has made Spurs remarkable by improving their overall energy, pressing opponents and forcing out mistakes.

Most of the players in the squad earn staggering pay checks.
Is it too much to ask of them to outrun the opponents?

1.) 09 Jul 2019
09 Jul 2019 08:59:29
Hard work over takes talent when talent forgets to work hard.

A classic saying, and totally on the money. There are reports that some players aren't happy with the fitness work in training. While there are also reports that the players are surprised by Dan James's fitness levels.

Maybe Dan James just has the right fitness levels and the squad have been so used to not running for a living they find the expected fitness levels surprising.

Either way the result should be the same, work hard or ship out.

If your paid more than your opponents then you should be working at least AS hard but probably harder than them.

Spurs players accept it, as do Liverpool's.

We finished 6th last year, but in terms of distance covered, distance ran and high intensity sprints we were 17th in the league. While four of the top five finished in the top four positions.

That's a clear indicator that hard work is needed if you want to be a top team.

2.) 09 Jul 2019
09 Jul 2019 09:03:28
It's the minimum you can ask for that money IMO.

3.) 09 Jul 2019
09 Jul 2019 09:53:21
They haven't gave a solid shift for 6 years.

Ole worked under the best manager there was and I never once thought United were a last team.

But over the past 6 years we have slowly become a team that doesn't really care about putting the graft in.

Liverpool and city are perfect examples of how hard to work and credit to pep and klopps team every player give everything on the pitch

We don't even come off with an once of sweat.

4.) 09 Jul 2019
09 Jul 2019 10:36:04
The problem I have is that Ole saying he is working on fitness, you can't help but do that. EVERY team is working on fitness during pre-season, even pub teams work on fitness during the summer! If you have a bunch of spoiled brats bitching and moaning every step then it won't take long for them to corrupt the ones that are taking things seriously.

There has been a lot of talk by both the manager and the players since OGS took over. Not seen much delivered, just saying one thing and doing another. I can't help but fear that he has been rewarding long contracts to players that we would maybe have been better drawing a line under. Too many players have signed that were stars at their former clubs and then get 'corrupted' by whatever is going on within our club - it's a pattern.

Daniel James is standing out at the minute, I hope he has the strength of character to keep embarrassing them and doesn't succumb to peer pressure of the lazy charlatans that claim to be elite athletes.

If it's true that some of our players are moaning about a fitness regime during pre-season and we don't get them out the door, then we are in for another rough year!

5.) 09 Jul 2019
09 Jul 2019 11:43:02
Maybe city and liverpools players work so hard because their managers illicit that response from them.

These players seemed to nail lvgs slow and ponderous posessions style or joses sit back, defend deep long ball style.

Part of oles job description as a modern football manager is to motivate the players to put that extra work in and improve.

6.) 09 Jul 2019
09 Jul 2019 12:41:49
Well hopefully he motivates them with fines an the transfer list.

7.) 09 Jul 2019
09 Jul 2019 16:28:13
Some people can't be motivated. Some need the stick and not the carrot.

If world class managers with extensive CV's such as LvG or Mourinho can't motivate them then who can?

People talk about Pep and his ability to motivate players. But they forget the number of players he has also fallen out with. Zlatan for instance. Pep also has bought all bar 4 players of his current 25 man squad.
Which begs the question why couldn't he motivate or coach the former players he sold to play this brand of football?

8.) 09 Jul 2019
09 Jul 2019 20:10:06
The stats from last season proved that Utd players were not fit enough.

New signing James is a fit lad and very quick but from the championship. However he apparently wiped the floor with all the other players in short and long sprints.
We now see footage of AWB running rings around players in a small sided game.

You can see why Ole wants young hungry players with no ego and willing to learn.

So many bad apples in the current squad.