Summer Training Camp - Spain

[Fox27]

Spanish football is indeed complicated and not a true pyramid. The new format for level 2b should ‘up the standard’ as there are too many weak sides that were in the old 2b 4 league format. I must admit this reorganisation went ‘under my radar‘ what with the other stuff that’s been going on. I have though been following Spanish football for over 15 years now and I still think it’s a dismissive and derogatory comment to say Linense are at Weymouth’s level in my opinion it was designed to lessen the merit of beating them.
The Tercera was - last time I looked 9 regional Leagues and the disparity between sides can be enormous. I’ve not watched much of that level but seen more of the Regional Preferente In Catalunya and Valencia. My preference is junior matches though, where the quality of the kids from about 9 upwards is extremely high.

A trip to Seville is on my post COVID bucket list and I’m favouring a match at Betis. I’ll have a check out of your local side on google - but I’m guessing Municipal Stadium with a plastic pitch - quite possibly with multi sports attached ?

You are right, the Spanish “pyramid” is complicated and I don‘t claim to being an expert at all.

CF Ayamonte do indeed play on a plastic pitch but unlike many at that sort of level (and slightly below) they have their own 5,000 all seater stadium with “no extra lines”. We’ve only had our place out there for 4 years and I get the distinct impression, they are expected to be higher up the pyramid, and have been in the past. They have swapped managers this year, the outgoing guy accepting he had taken them as far as he could despite being offered a contract in the higher league. The incoming has a higher pedigree and it is hopefully the start of a new era.

We are about an hour and a half from Sevilla. My understanding is Sevilla are the glamour club and destination for glory hunters whereas Betis are the hardened “locals”. I didn’t even realise that there were three large stadia in the city. The one used in the Euros isn’t used by either of them. It was built for the World (or European) Athletic Championships.

I just love watching something different “unidos somos mas fuertes”!

 

[Bitzer]

Considering that we were often lauded as one of the fittest squads under Eddie's leadership it's a bit surprising seeing our players quoted as saying this is the hardest and most physical pre season that they have had. Jaidon Anthony being the latest, talking about double sessions etc.

 

[yesyescherry]

Considering that we were often lauded as one of the fittest squads under Eddie's leadership it's a bit surprising seeing our players quoted as saying this is the hardest and most physical pre season that they have had. Jaidon Anthony being the latest, talking about double sessions etc.

it’ll be interesting to see whether it results in a similar number of injuries that we were getting a few season’s ago - or whether these high fitness levels are reflected by full intensity for 90 minutes during games

 

[AFCBade]

Considering that we were often lauded as one of the fittest squads under Eddie's leadership it's a bit surprising seeing our players quoted as saying this is the hardest and most physical pre season that they have had. Jaidon Anthony being the latest, talking about double sessions etc.

Eddie did triple sessions on some pre season tours. However some of the u21 players may not have encountered Eddie’s pre season sessions as under 21s did their own thing.

I went to the game in Marbella a couple of seasons ago vs Estoril and it was the hottest weather that I had encountered. Some fans even stopped watching for a while to sit in the shade. They must have been tough sessions!

 

[Topfarrier]

Eddie did triple sessions on some pre season tours. However some of the u21 players may not have encountered Eddie’s pre season sessions as under 21s did their own thing.

I went to the game in Marbella a couple of seasons ago vs Estoril and it was the hottest weather that I had encountered. Some fans even stopped watching for a while to sit in the shade. They must have been tough sessions!

Yes especially when you consider that we're had the opinion of the Olympic coach friend/chiropractor of Neil's that Eddie"s training sessions were far too intense......I shudder to think what he'd make of this....surely there's more to coaching than working them until they drop?.....all seems a bit old hat to me.... well I suppose if all our players are injured before Christmas we'll know why.