Davis keen to incorporate game scenarios into fitness work

Steve Davis has told the club’s official web-site that the days of running up hills, through forests or around lakes are over. The Alex boss says that pre-season preparation has evolved greatly from his own playing days and that the modern day footballer is more aware of taking care of their bodies during the summer months.

Most of the Crewe players returned to training for the start of their pre-season fitness and conditioning work on Monday but the Crewe boss has been impressed with the number of players continuing to come in and use the facilities at Reaseheath.

Steve told crewealex.net: “The modern footballer knows how important it is to keep in shape. They don’t want to be playing catch-up in pre-season and although we have down things differently and given them more time off, a large proportion of them were still coming in and topping up their fitness.

“They had the opportunity to come in and that is why we continued to open the training ground and put sessions on for them. Others have gone to their local gyms or gone out for runs.

“We are starting the two weeks of building on those fitness levels. They will be working on their conditioning, weight training, doing injury prevention and core work, so that when we get the football out they will be ready.

“Andy Franks and the staff will be conducting that and the running they are doing is based on what they can expect in a game. They have done some longer runs for their stamina and shorter interval sprints that occur more in a game situation.

He added: “The days of running up hills, all through forests or around a nice lake are over. All the runs are more based on running with or without the ball.”