“Players have to react faster. Every movement, every action happens faster. Think faster, act faster, this is the football of the future.” (Valery Lobanovsky, 1996). We all know that the speed of play and the intensity of the game continues to increase. Athletes are training harder and with more precision than ever before and the demands of competing are getting higher. So what are the requirements of elite football??
- Physical strength
- Understanding of the game
- Timing
- Mental Strength
Out of the 4 core requirements the easiest to manipulate and control is….Physical strength.
Every coach has their own philosophy on what conditioning works best. Not all positions require the same type of energy systems therefore you need to assess each athlete individually. If you were a marathon runner you wouldn’t train by running sprints alone each and everyday, would you? Let’s break down the positions… For striker’s and the backs more emphasize on anaerobic training such as short and long sprints are better utilized for training than constant 6 mile jogs. As for midfielders, more area is required to be covered so players should try to incorporate a combination of endurance training (longer runs 4-6 miles) and anaerobic training just like the strikers and defensive line.
Aside from running, all players regardless of positions would highly benefit from doing 2-day per week plyometric training and hitting the weight room 3-5 days per week. Being able to move quickly and hold other players off the ball will make a huge difference between playing time and bench time.
