As Argyle's pre-season continues with a camp in Spain, Charlie Price provides an alternative look at what is going on in the sunshine.
When I was sat at breakfast on Monday morning, I thought to myself, “How do you follow up a story about Iron Maiden for the day two blog?"
I think the simple answer to that is, I can’t, and that’s despite the new signings attempt to audition as backing singers to the band – yes, day two brought the dreaded initiations. All the new signings and staff members did well.
But in all seriousness, it is quite tricky to come up with something interesting and 'witty' to tell you how the trip out here is going.
I think the way these blogs work is to try and have a sort of quirky or alternative look at the day and bring a bit of colour to the pictures, videos, and clips you see on social media or Argyle TV.
So, in my attempt to be alternative… I’ll tell you exactly how the day went.
It started similarly to how I imagine everyone’s morning started, if you consider yourself an England football fan, with a huge sense of pride.
Despite many the Argyle squad not being English, the speaker in the gym was blaring out Three Lions. Captain Joe Edwards leading the celebrations, Harvey White unable to shift the big grin from his face, and Jack Mackenzie shaking his head in disgust.
The 2am alarm was worth it, right up until John Lucas, Argyle’s on-pitch physical performance coach, entered the room.
“Today is going to be a tough day” he said to me and Ellie, our videographer. “Make sure you get some footage of the players pushing themselves to the limit. We don’t want fans getting the impression that they’ll be getting it easy today.”
Now of course, I don’t think anyone thought that, but if even the slightest flicker crossed anyone’s mind that because England were playing in the World Cup in the middle of the night things might be ever so slightly easier, that flicker was extinguished.
I know I harp on about how intense the sessions are on these pre-season camps, but I do it for a reason, because I am astounded at the levels of physicality.
You only have to look at England’s performance at the Azteca. Those players went beyond their physical capabilities, because they’ve been trained to, and got the reward. There is a similar goal for these Argyle players.
Anyway, with our task for the day set, Ellie and I were off to capture the players pushing themselves to the limits.
First up was a 2v2 drill where the aim of the game was to score in either of the two mini goals at the other side of the coned off space. If you scored you got a point for your team. Sounds easy right, well chuck in the fact that if you don’t score and the other pair gets the ball, they then have a chance to score, so you are running back and forth until a goal is scored.
That was just the warm-up. Pressing was next on the agenda, a drill devised to make sure that at every single second you are alert and able to press. Defenders under scrutiny not to give it away, attackers engaging with high intensity - 20 minutes of that.
Right, rest time, great.
“What we’re going to do now is run at 80% for 10 seconds then walk to recover. We’ll do this eight times,” barks John. Their rest is to run.
The remainder of the morning session continued in a similar vein, drills designed around high intensity pressing.
When the morning was done, the schedule for the afternoon was sent out.
‘No pitch work, just a circuit in the gym and a bike ride.’
DO NOT BE FOOLED once again that the word ‘just’ cannot be taken that literally. Any player thinking the afternoon would be an easy ride was quickly brought back to reality.
The squad was split into two groups, one with with John on the bikes, the other would be with Connor Derbidge for a gym circuit.
I won’t go into the details of everything the players were asked to do, but I will nudge you very gently in the direction of Argyle TV and the Pre-season | Spain Day Two video which is available to stream now.
The point of outlining the above is that out here even your ‘rest’ moments are designed to challenge you. Yes, as I wrote in yesterday’s blog, there is time to relax and take your mind off the football, but ultimately that is what we are out here to do.
The message throughout the week has been, “it will be hard, but it will be worth in during the season when you can finish that extra sprint or get that shot off in added on time.”
Every session has been planned meticulously to make the players fitter, stronger, and more resilient. Sometimes that is what you need.
I’ll take you back to Mexico City, those England players were up against it. Playing at altitude, after a full season, a man down for most of the second half and they dug in.
That mentality is what is being trained into our players and although Argyle can’t win the World Cup, in our eyes the ambition is just as rewarding.
Right, I am tired just re-living today. I’m away for the night and will catch you in the morning. Hasta Manana!
