New Proposed Training Regime Unveiled

The Premier League squad has announced a planned new training regime, based on the Dutch method of total football, introduced by Peter Van Den Hoogenband before the Sydney Olympics.

Pre-season training

Prior to March, pre-season training will consist of a fitness camp at Tarban Creek on Thursday evenings, usually a gut-busting circuit training bonanza of hill sprints and push ups. As players will often be indulging in other sports, such as Aus Tag or Cribbage, Ravens management have allowed the maximum time for recuperation after the successful 2003 season.. Some of the players will be involved in summer soccer and futsal in the summer months in a bid to maintain their fitness for the new season. A Bay Run will be tossed into the mixer just for good measure.

March

This is what is known as the bleeding lungs period. Players who have over indulged over the Christmas period or who have done no exercise will soon find out why this is so called. Intensive training sessions will be held:

Tuesday - at Westminster Training Camp - following a warm up of stretching there will be a mixture of sprint endurance exercises to build up the stamina for the forthcoming season, and then a light hearted game of touch football, followed by a five-a-side tournament. Players who wish to practice their free kicks will remain afterwards with the goalkeepers for a further hour.

Thursday - at Monash Park Centre of Excellence - a long and gradual warm up involving increasingly long sprints will lead into an intensive session of ball work. The final hour will be spent practicing set pieces, both attacking and defending, something which has never been a priority, but a lack of which has led to the club's relegation in the past. A short full pitch game will complete the evenings entertainment, followed by the customary autograph signings. If any weekend friendly matches eventuate, the team will be announced on Thursday evenings.

In-Season

Tuesdays and Thursdays - as above.

Saturday - match day. On Away Days. players will meet at the Bowling Club in Gladesville at eleven o'clock in the morning to discuss tactics. Players can take advantage of the hi-carb energy snacks on offer before heading off for the game. For Home matches, it's down to Peel Park for midday for a short get together and club meeting before the reserve grade takes the field and the first grade get warmed up. After the game, back to the Bowlo for post match interviews and journalistic duties.

Rules

Gladesville Ravens Premier League squad is determined to gain success in the forthcoming season. Friendly matches have already being arranged. Training is obligatory for everyone. If you have a long standing commitment on either Tuesday or Thursday, try and move it. If you cannot make one training session in the week, you will not be playing on the Saturday as you will be deemed to be unfit. A dedicated member of the squad will be taking a register of all players who do and do not attend training, so there will be no contesting the rule.

The playing squad will be kept to a maximum of thirty this year. That set of thirty players will be thirty people who can be relied upon every week. This number will allow for the occasional absentee and more than compensate for the numerous injuries and suspensions that tend to occur. All registration fees must be in before the new season, or the player will not be registered. We're getting tough this year. It's time to head in the right direction and get some silverware. If you can't put in the effort, then go and play for someone else.