Pre-Season games

For the first game in pre-season I've got some players about 96% fit and some about 89% fit.

What is the best way to get all my players fully fit by the start of the season?

Play only the fittest players to begin with then wait for the others to get into the high 90% and then play them as well.

Or is it best to play the players with low fitness first to bring them up the level of the others?

Thanks.

3/4 matches per player usually does the trick for me but it depends on the individual player and your training schedules. So if you have your 1st 11 and a 2nd 11 in your first team squad then arrange 8 friendlies and split between the two (either matches or halves; or halves for the first two until their condition gets up past 90 and then give them full matches).

Don't forget the reserves have pre season friendlies too so check if the assistant is picking first team players for those matches before you put them into a first team squad friendly.

I usually use Pre-Season friendlies to get my players used to new adjustments in tactics, and new arrivals to the team. My training schedule takes care of the fitness levels of the players. The only exceptions would be attacking players with <14 Natural Fitness AND <14 Stamina. They would get put onto a special training schedule and play in 6 of 10 friendlies that I play.

Nepenthez post reminds me of what I forgot to mention. I talk about giving game time because you want their match fitness maximised (Training > Overview > Fitness). For a given player under identical circumstances a lower match fitness will cause their condition to drop faster in a match. As condition drops a player's attributes take a 'hit'. In other words a 20 finishing player is not a 20 finishing player as soon as his condition drops. How pronounced the effect is or what the starting point is I couldn't tell you.

Use a specific training schedule.

I usually play a certain number of friendlies depending on what competitions I'm in (i.e. Euro Vase, etc).

It really is dependent on the players and training, but I usually have a few easy friendlies at the start of pre-season to get the players fit, using the 2 teams of 11 tactic that isuckatfm stated, but for halves only. For the harder friendlies, I test out my starting 11 and main subs, then usually try and arrange a couple of friendlies against my U18's and Reserves, as a big win can boost morale before the start of the season

Thanks guys

So would you say it is best to give the players with low natural fitness, stamina and % condition more game time, to bring them up to speed with the rest?

my pre-season as arsenal always includes:

total of 8-10 friendlies, 2 of which are taken up by creating the emirates cup for competitive match experience against big sides, a tour of somewhere, and a few easy friendlies against low league opposition eg:

A Boreham Wood

A Barnet

A QPR

A Walsall

(Tour)

A Hoffenheim

A Gladbach

A St. Pauli

A Hamburg

(Emirates Cup)

H Semi (PSG/Barcelona/Milan etc)

H Final

I usually just check after each friendly to see the status, 'match fit, fully fit, super condition, etc' This is the best indication as you can have a player with 95%+ condition but he's actually not match fit. I just usually give them the most time to my players that will be in my starting 11 and then the subs I usually use towards the final friendlies. Seems to work