Training: should I rest before and/or after the games during the season?

[libido_luxuria]

Should I rest before and/or after the games during the season?

Playing Tottenham.

Will this effect young player development? Will it be good for the to maintain players fit?

I read the forum, namely the Cleon's post on training so I kwon how to train on pre-season. but what about the season? Should I rest them before and/or after the games? During the season I have general training "low" and individual training "heavy" - the right thing to do, right?

[Chao Yang]

I usually see if I have a 3 day gap between games or not as at the top level, assuming players with decent Natural Fitness scores, this should be time enough to get them back to at least the mid to high 90s. Anything less, or maybe a run of 4 games in 7 days then I usually give them holidays before hand.

[furiousuk]

Nah, dont bother, waste of time. You can take it that the players arent being flogged days before and after games.

Resting is only really useful if players are jaded, and sometimes if they have really poor condition (which is often a sign of being jaded, as is morale).

[ntw001]

I normally have a rest day after a match to aid recuperation. Only during pre-season do I dispense with the rest days. This is in an attempt to get them match fit for the season proper. We all know IRL that pre-season is hard and about regaining fitness right? I have occasionally forgot to put the rest day back in when season proper starts, and noticed that my players condition was lower than usual just prior to the next match. I'm sure the two are linked. I'm also pretty sure that IRL players get a day off after a match? No? You hear about some managers dragging the team in for extra training on a Sunday if they put in a really poor performance the afternoon before.

[libido_luxuria]

Hum, ok. I'll rest them only when having too many matches.

[themadsheep2001]

It's a choice really. I do after each game (set in match prep), something I always do. And my injury rates have always been very low so I stick to it.

[RTHerringbone]

It's a choice really. I do after each game (set in match prep), something I always do. And my injury rates have always been very low so I stick to it.

I do the same, and whilst there's no real proven science behind it, I do tend to see few injuries and so assume it works.

As I rotate my whole XI from game to game, it is actually completely unnecessary - just a habit I guess.

[Rekobeto]

If it's a congested fixture schedule I would sometimes rest between matches. Another option can be to secure a lead in by running down the clock, playing low tempo for the last 15 minutes. The players regain their fitness much faster this way.

[tennisball]

I only rest after matches, but then I assign very tired players to more rest manually after a match if needed (right-click player -- Training -- Rest -- 2 or 3 days etc.)

[oneronaldo]

No rest for any of my players unless necessary, I rotate my squad alot so tiredness is rarely problem unless there is some crazy fixture congestion. Oh by rotate I mean I send out an entire 2nd XI, along with a subs bench full of U21/U18 hot prospects if its a low priority cup match.

[phnompenhandy]

I can't speak on Tottenham - you might get away with no rest for first team players, i dunno. As a lower league manager with players of modest NF and stamina, I do rest after matches, as other above do. During a heavy winter schedule with 2 matches per week (or more) I give many a rest between fixtures so they might actually do no training for 2 or 3 weeks.

However, in complete contrast, what about my U21 and U18 squads? For kids nowhere near the first team I let the head of youth and his team flog them mercilessly! Many of them turn out for the U21 AND U18 fixtures, i.e. 2 games per week with no rest from training. Following Cleon's guidance it till leaves their overall training workload as medium and injuries are quite low. It's quite common for a player on 70% condition to start a game - as I say, it seems to cause few issues so I let my staff get on with it!

So, to sum up, rest after match for first team squad; no rest for youths.

[tennisball]

How do you allow your youth players to turn out for the U21's and U18's? Do you have to manually select something, or do you just put the good U18's in the U21's and the managers will select them if they are good enough?

[Kawee]

I rest both before and after during tight schedule. If you're playing every three days, it really helps keep their condition at competitive level. A lot of injuries happen during training as well, so if they're resting, they can't get injured.

I'm not so sure how realistic this is though. It always seems like teams train up until the matchday, and only resting the day after, and even then, only those involved.

It'd be nice if the rest only applies to those who were involved in games, while others, especially youngsters acting a backup, continue training.

[phnompenhandy]

I rest both before and after during tight schedule. If you're playing every three days, it really helps keep their condition at competitive level. A lot of injuries happen during training as well, so if they're resting, they can't get injured.

I'm not so sure how realistic this is though. It always seems like teams train up until the matchday, and only resting the day after, and even then, only those involved.

It'd be nice if the rest only applies to those who were involved in games, while others, especially youngsters acting a backup, continue training.

That's why I click on 'rest' for individuals rather than the whole group.

[phnompenhandy]

How do you allow your youth players to turn out for the U21's and U18's? Do you have to manually select something, or do you just put the good U18's in the U21's and the managers will select them if they are good enough?

For my U18 boys, i just right-click and in the squad list choose 'play for U18s' AND 'play for U21s'. Between my first team squad of 21 and my U18 squad I've only got about 6 players (ie the U21 regulars, who shift into the first team squad to cover injuries), so most of the U18s are going to get U21 playing time. If you have a squad of over 50 or something You'll have to micro-manage, shifting players around to get the ones you want gametime.

[tennisball]

For my U18 boys, i just right-click and in the squad list choose 'play for U18s' AND 'play for U21s'. Between my first team squad of 21 and my U18 squad I've only got about 6 players (ie the U21 regulars, who shift into the first team squad to cover injuries), so most of the U18s are going to get U21 playing time. If you have a squad of over 50 or something You'll have to micro-manage, shifting players around to get the ones you want gametime.

Thanks, I always only ticked one of them, I never knew that ticking the second one would not deselect the first one!

[Kawee]

That's why I click on 'rest' for individuals rather than the whole group.

Too much work lol

[Rekobeto]

You can't make a player available for both youth teams at once, if he sits in your first team squad. Better to swap the player to your u18 team, and then make him available for the u21.

[phnompenhandy]

You can't make a player available for both youth teams at once, if he sits in your first team squad. Better to swap the player to your u18 team, and then make him available for the u21.

Yeh, didn't think I needed to clarify that. I want my first team lads fresh for first team action. If they drop a bit in MF or are recovering from an injury I'll give them 45-60 mins U21 action. But for everyone not in the first team squad I want them to play as much as possible, so that's 2 games per week.

[breaker]

which players get rested after the match? ie. guys with low condition, the guys that were in the starting squad, the starters plus the subs, or the entire first team??

[phnompenhandy]

I think it's anyone who set foot on the pitch.