CHARLIE Davis believes the Terras should look to go back into pre-season in decent shape, insisting the platform is provided for them to hit the ground running next term.
The former AFC Bournemouth youngster who recently expressed his delight with the personnel coming into the Weymouth squad next season, also expects the club’s coaching staff to adopt a more modern method in their summer training schedule – providing the players’ return in good condition.
Asked about his preparations for the upcoming campaign, Davis told Echosport: “We have had a gym programme, a running programme, the works.
“I think it will be better for all the lads but definitely better for me personally. I think I like it more that way in having a bit more of a structure.
“Last year everything was organised and you get a lot more at Weymouth than other clubs I’ve been at, in terms of protein after sessions and things like that.
“They do try and look after you and I think Moles (manager Mark Molesley) was a big part of that last year – Paul (Maitland, assistant) also has a real attention to detail with things.
“I think they are just going to go the extra mile this year and it will show. There is no way that anyone will be able to say that we haven’t had the tools to do what we want to do.”
Asked about what pre-season methods he prefers, the ball-playing midfielder replied: “Nobody wants to go back into pre-season and start doing 10k runs every other night after work. It’s just not enjoyable.
“I think some managers are a bit ancient in the terms of thinking ‘nobody’s fit, we will do three bleep tests this week’.
“I remember, when I was really young, going to Dorchester for a pre-season and, in the first four sessions, we did a fitness test in each session. I was just sat there thinking ‘this isn’t football, I may as well just go and join an athletics club’.
“I’d hate to do another pre-season like that and I can’t imagine Moles is going to do anything like that, which is good.”
Davis did however stress the importance of looking after himself and his fitness during the off-season.
“I don’t think there is anything more frustrating for a footballer than going back and people being unfit, with the management having no choice than to put on a lot of running sessions just to get people fit,” he claimed.
“If you go back fit already, and everyone is sort of fit enough, it just reduces the amount of running and you can go straight into working on the ball and a bit of shape. It makes pre-season more enjoyable.
“No-one is expecting anyone to turn up match fit but I think you should be at a level where you are fit enough to do the runs and do the training and you use the pre-season games to get match fit.”
