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Training Wednesday 7/7

PostPosted: Wed Jul 07, 2010 10:51 pm
by Douglas Higginbottom
Supposedly 2 sessions today but the first was inside work behind closed doors. All about early season testing I am sure so just the reserves on view in the morning. The latest addition to the keepers is Eric Johansen ( brother of Toby who has now left and got a 4 year contract in Spain I think) Eric is younger but is one big unit and I know has been thought to be quality for some time. There was another big unit in the resreves called Razak. No idea if that's the right spelling or where he came from or where he plays but as Kidd mentioned his name to me I must find out more and look out for him.

When I arrived in the afternoon I was greeted with Shay doing some specific work with the kepeer coach and a physio with a lot of emphasis on his shoulders for obvious reasons. Stretching for balls and plenty of diving on crash mats. Good to see Shay out there.About 10 of the reserves were out working as well under the close eye of Platt/Mancini/Kidd and the rest.Good to see that as well as they will no doubt all be involved in the pre season stuff and they need to know them first hand if possible. The only one I know was missing was Guidetti nursing a slight knock.

The first teamers came out and the other lads moved away and we saw much of the usual stuff with warm up's/stretching routines and a number of keep ball and control drills.Some pure running but not that much. The best part is that it was all taking place right in front of the few watchers with no fences getting in the way.Shame that might not be the case at all in the near future as more fencing was being put up around other areas as all this was happening.Good spirits showed up well amongst the group with a few very funny moments that you just had to be there for.

It all finished with a football game on half a pitch and although just pre season training stuff it was great to see Adebayor looking so good. Some of his interplay with Bellers and Stevie was a pleasure to watch and they created and scored some nice goals. For the other team the one who caught my eye was Caicedo. he doesnt have the touch and movement that Ade has but on a couple of occasions he got it just right and finished really well. One of them was a superb control and turn , selling the defender at the same time which he smashed in off the keeper.I just wonder if Mancini might want a closer look at him to see if he can do it when it really matters.Only Vinnie and Zaba missed the football bit as they weren't quite right with some minor thing.

Mancini had watched a lot of the early stuff very closely and towards the end took small groups to work specifically with them whether on defensive shape and working as a unit or with attackers moving the ball around quickly with a finish at the end.Day one had seen very little if any coaching and was all about the boss and the coaches watching the players shake off the cobwebs and start the fitness process but today Mancini was back at it working/coaching on key aspects of how he wants the team to play even with maybe a dozen key players missing.Platt and Kidd kept all the rest of the session moving and seemd to both be fully involved in all that was going on.

Sorry I am late with this but after leaving at nearly 6 I didn't get home till now.

Re: Training Wednesday 7/7

PostPosted: Wed Jul 07, 2010 11:07 pm
by brite blu sky
top top report Doug.
it will be interesting this year watching Ade's response to last season, got a feeling we might see a man on a mission

Re: Training Wednesday 7/7

PostPosted: Wed Jul 07, 2010 11:14 pm
by JonnyAsh
Thanks Doug, Your posts are one of the most enlightening and important on the board. It is the only way we hear of the day to day goings on.
Hopefully you will continue to get access throughout the season, and as a Manc living in New York, I always eat my morning cereal to your reports

Re: Training Wednesday 7/7

PostPosted: Wed Jul 07, 2010 11:29 pm
by Goataldo
Quality post, has to be said.

Getting pre-season jitters and the world cup hasn't even finished!

Pass and move, pass and move...

Re: Training Wednesday 7/7

PostPosted: Wed Jul 07, 2010 11:51 pm
by 9secondlegend
was joe hart there?

Re: Training Wednesday 7/7

PostPosted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 12:50 am
by Mark (Blue Army)
Cheers Doug, seems that Ade really wants to make an impression on Mancini.

Re: Training Wednesday 7/7

PostPosted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 1:54 am
by dazby
uwe's_skyblue_duvet wrote:Quality post, has to be said.
Getting pre-season jitters and the world cup hasn't even finished!

Pass and move, pass and move...


You're just saying that because you're family.

It was good, but not great. ;-)

Re: Training Wednesday 7/7

PostPosted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 4:58 am
by Slim
You know the season is on it's way back when Doug comes out of his den and if he isn't scared by his shadow, 6 more weeks of pre-season.

Re: Training Wednesday 7/7

PostPosted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 7:05 am
by Martinez
Douglas Higginbottom wrote:Supposedly 2 sessions today but the first was inside work behind closed doors. All about early season testing I am sure so just the reserves on view in the morning. The latest addition to the keepers is Eric Johansen ( brother of Toby who has now left and got a 4 year contract in Spain I think) Eric is younger but is one big unit and I know has been thought to be quality for some time. There was another big unit in the resreves called Razak. No idea if that's the right spelling or where he came from or where he plays but as Kidd mentioned his name to me I must find out more and look out for him.



Cheers, Doug, pre-season is finally here for real!

Could it be Albert Resnak maybe? There is a topic on him but don't know how to paste a topic link. Slovakian youngster who was given a trial by Sven

Re: Training Wednesday 7/7

PostPosted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 7:14 am
by AlpsMaster
Thanks Doug.

I've missed your reports!

Re: Training Wednesday 7/7

PostPosted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 9:06 am
by craigmcfc
Thanks once again Doug, looking forward to my daily dose of "insider info" from you once again

Re: Training Wednesday 7/7

PostPosted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 9:49 am
by Douglas Higginbottom
9secondlegend wrote:was joe hart there?


No Joe Hart yet , still away with all others who were at the world cup.

Re: Training Wednesday 7/7

PostPosted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 9:52 am
by Douglas Higginbottom
Mark ( Blue Army ) wrote:Cheers Doug, seems that Ade really wants to make an impression on Mancini.


Could be exactly that with 2 others ( Caicedo /Jo) on show in these early sessions. I seem to recall seeing the same from Ade before last season and to be fair to him he did start the season on fire. Not only has he looked good playing and training well but he was doing it and having fun doing it.

Re: Training Wednesday 7/7

PostPosted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 10:03 am
by Ted Hughes
Douglas Higginbottom wrote:
Mark ( Blue Army ) wrote:Cheers Doug, seems that Ade really wants to make an impression on Mancini.


Could be exactly that with 2 others ( Caicedo /Jo) on show in these early sessions. I seem to recall seeing the same from Ade before last season and to be fair to him he did start the season on fire. Not only has he looked good playing and training well but he was doing it and having fun doing it.


I like Ade & think he could be almost unstoppable if he used his ability to it's best. It's all up to him.

Is Albert Rusnak the name you meant for the afformentioned 'big unit' in the reserves?

Re: Training Wednesday 7/7

PostPosted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 10:20 am
by Douglas Higginbottom
Ted Hughes wrote:
Douglas Higginbottom wrote:
Mark ( Blue Army ) wrote:Cheers Doug, seems that Ade really wants to make an impression on Mancini.


Could be exactly that with 2 others ( Caicedo /Jo) on show in these early sessions. I seem to recall seeing the same from Ade before last season and to be fair to him he did start the season on fire. Not only has he looked good playing and training well but he was doing it and having fun doing it.


I like Ade & think he could be almost unstoppable if he used his ability to it's best. It's all up to him.

Is Albert Rusnak the name you meant for the afformentioned 'big unit' in the reserves?


No Ted , I don't think it's him. Rusnak is only 16 so wouldn't be at Carrington yet and the Albert I have seen in the under 16's last year certainly isn't a "big unit".

Re: Training Wednesday 7/7

PostPosted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 10:26 am
by Ted Hughes
Douglas Higginbottom wrote:
Ted Hughes wrote:
Douglas Higginbottom wrote:
Mark ( Blue Army ) wrote:Cheers Doug, seems that Ade really wants to make an impression on Mancini.


Could be exactly that with 2 others ( Caicedo /Jo) on show in these early sessions. I seem to recall seeing the same from Ade before last season and to be fair to him he did start the season on fire. Not only has he looked good playing and training well but he was doing it and having fun doing it.


I like Ade & think he could be almost unstoppable if he used his ability to it's best. It's all up to him.

Is Albert Rusnak the name you meant for the afformentioned 'big unit' in the reserves?


No Ted , I don't think it's him. Rusnak is only 16 so wouldn't be at Carrington yet and the Albert I have seen in the under 16's last year certainly isn't a "big unit".


Hmmm. Interesting.

Cheers Doug.

Edit: Just had a quick sniff around & there's a player called Hamdi Razak who's been trialling etc & doing pretty well for one or two clubs.

Re: Training Wednesday 7/7

PostPosted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 12:10 pm
by Adam Johnson's Big Toe
Great report, very informative. Thanks

Re: Training Wednesday 7/7

PostPosted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 12:11 pm
by lets all have a disco
Good to have you back Doug.

Missed ya sport,hope the training season card comes through at some point.

Re: Training Wednesday 7/7

PostPosted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 12:44 pm
by Scatman
Where's Johnno these days?

Re: Training Wednesday 7/7

PostPosted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 12:53 pm
by johnno
could you take a Michael Johnson photo if its not too much trouble?
many of us want to see how johnno is :)
Cheers Doug!