Pearson: "Too many pre-season games"

[Steven]

Nigel didn't organise the friendly with Everton in Thailand. That was a board decision. They stayed on English time whilst over there so as to avoid jet lag etc but Nigel was not overly fond of the circus that they encountered there.

Bad luck Nige. Carlisle might be looking for a Manager by the end of the season.

[kingfox]

Not bothered about playing in Thailand, other teams have been out abroad, I just don't get why we are playing MK Dons then Rotherham the next day, should just be one of the two not both.

[GingerrrFox]

Not bothered about playing in Thailand, other teams have been out abroad, I just don't get why we are playing MK Dons then Rotherham the next day, should just be one of the two not both.

The initial pre season plan was identical as last season. First game all players get 45 minutes and it slowly increases till we get to today and tomorrow in which the entire squad will hopefully all complete 90 minutes over the 2 matches. The Everton game threw a spanner into the works regarding the schedule.

[Itsthejoeker]

Other premiership teams manage with overseas friendlies, oh dear, we flew to Thailand a month before the season starts. We must be going down this season.

[Guest ttfn]

Not bothered about playing in Thailand, other teams have been out abroad, I just don't get why we are playing MK Dons then Rotherham the next day, should just be one of the two not both.

I'm struggling to understand why Rotherham would want a pre-season game 4 days before their season starts.

[Clever Fox]

Not bothered about playing in Thailand, other teams have been out abre reason is so asoad, I just don't get why we are playing MK Dons then Rotherham the next day, should just be one of the two not both.

 

The reason is so that everyone get a full 90 minutes under their belt. Then select a team for Saturday closer to the starting eleven against Everton.

Then plenty of rest and work on problems and tactics before the big day. 

[KFS]

Maybe they could have binned off the game against MK ****** and done themselves, as well as football in general, a favour.

This made me

[CosbehFox]

I also find it peculiar for Pearson to make that remark. My conclusion is:

A- He is not happy about someone interfering in the pre season trip to Thailand.

B- He has selected the fixtures and realizes he has made a mistake

C- Pearson is finding that he does not have the final say, into what he considers is his remit.

It does appear that reading between the lines, he is not a happy bunny, and that is worrying, especially on the verge of what will prove to be a difficult and problematical season.

I believe that C is the real reason, but that is only my view.

Or maybe retrospectively he's admitted an error.

[lgfualol]

Compared to other clubs we have it easy. At least we didnt do a tour of america or something.

[sylofox]

I bet some of you still believe the "You won't have heard of any of our target's"

 

He has praps been looking on here and thought he would poor petrol onto the fire.

[filbertway]

I stopped reading after about 5 replies, obviously the match in Thailand was for commercial reasons and I imagine the owners sorted that one out.

 

He's just giving an honest appraisal of the situation. 

[Fox92]

I also find it peculiar for Pearson to make that remark. My conclusion is:

 

A- He is not happy about someone interfering in the pre season trip to Thailand.

 

B- He has selected the fixtures and realizes he has made a mistake

 

C- Pearson is finding that he does not have the final say, into what he considers is his remit.

 

It does appear that reading between the lines, he is not a happy bunny, and that is worrying, especially on the verge of what will prove to be a difficult and problematical season.

 

I believe that C is the real reason, but that is only my view.

 

I don't think it's C at all. Pearson isn't the type of person to be dictated. 

[filbertway]

Also Louis Van Gaal could be on his way out if you read between the lines http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/manchester-united/10984832/Louis-van-Gaal-Manchester-Uniteds-lengthy-pre-season-tours-bad-for-preparation-and-have-to-become-shorter.html

[Kitchandro]

It certainly wasn't Pearson's idea to play the friendly in Thailand. It was always likely to happen. Though tbh, I was more surprised when I saw how many we were having in a row after it.
 

I doubt Nigel is admitting a mistake, he cites the reasoning for having more friendlies as 'we are slightly higher profile now'. That suggests owner interference, so if anything, it's probably the Thailand fixture he has an issue with, which I can understand.  I don't see why they would be insistent on having all the others.

 

The question is, did the owners not consult Pearson on the Thai friendly? Did they ask permission?
 

[Fox Ulike]

I guess the pre-season games at places like Preston and MK Dons are money-spinners now we’re in t’Premiership. We’re a big fish if you live in Milton Keynes!

 

It’s probably the same for every other team. Man United just played Madrid in Michigan – I can’t imagine that’s given their squad much benefit…

[Steve_Guppy_Left_Foot]

People really are looking for things that it's highly likely don't exist here. It clearly benefited the club going to Thailand! It was for a few days a month before the season started, it's hardly going to have an impact to our season. If we become higher profile then the owners make more money, if the owners make more money then the club is in a stronger position, so everybody wins, how hard is that to grasp?

[Hungry Hungry Fox]

All but one prem team has played abroad during pre season

[Thracian]

I don't see the Thailand trip as pointless - quite the contrary - there were so many potential benefits. On and off the field we are trying to increase our profile and where better than where we have probably our strongest overseas support and in the homeland of our owners which have done so much to transform this club for the better.

 

The match offered a personal thankyou to our Thai fans and encouraged the recruitment of still more.

 

In football terms, being of Premiership status means, we need to get used to the experience of foreign travel demands on a much more regular basis whether it be for competiton or promotional reasons and Thailand - on the other side of the world - is surely as good a place to do this as any.

 

I can also understand the MK Dons fixture because it could be regarded as within the area of our potential local fanbase and if we're intending to increase our ground capacity alongside our growing status then some of the potential paying fans may well come from Northamptonshire and North Buckinghamshire because there's nothing else down there without heading south into London.

 

I'd presume the manager would be party to each and every friendly - even the Thai trip as a matter of discussion and courtesy. But people need to remember our owners have a business as well as a footballing agenda and the close season is increasingly important for that.

 

Maybe if we'd signed a few more players by now the pressures of fielding teams on back-to-back friendly days would have been easier. But the world cup perhaps took so much attention that other things didn't get done for various reasons.

 

What Pearson seems to be saying is that we're behind with our preparation in terms of team and tactics. And that won't be made easier if two or three others need to be drafted into the squad and settled.

 

Maybe the time taken up by too many transfer disappointments has taken its toll as well. Was that all because people didn't want to join us or because we weren't financially flexible enough to settle the deal?

 

Whatever our squad looks worse now rather than better to me what with Dyer gone and assuming Wood is bound for a loan move.

 

Up to now, Hamer's arrival has only made me wonder why people mock Logan so much, no-one's been signed to replace the genuine threat of Dyer, Upson sounds like this season's Sean St Leger, and, although hope springs eternal,  Ulloa  doesn't seem to be exciting anyone as yet.

 

Thank God Babs is around to assure us it'll all be alright on the night!    .

[Harry - LCFC]

From a preparation perspective the Thailand trip can't have been helpful. Done for purely corporate purposes  - just the owners wanting to show off.

[Hungry Hungry Fox]

From a preparation perspective the Thailand trip can't have been helpful. Done for purely corporate purposes - just the owners wanting to show off.

That's the same reason as man utd etc have been playing in America. Some of them have played 5 or more games over there, we've played 1 game abroad

[Harry - LCFC]

That's the same reason as man utd etc have been playing in America. Some of them have played 5 or more games over there, we've played 1 game abroad

 

That's probably not so bad because the flight isn't between matches. The team get time to settle down and play properly. Preparation is still part of the plan there whereas ours was a bit of a rush with a match quickly following a long plane journey.

[Dan]

I do think it's a bit ridiculous how we're playing 3 games in 4 days.

[Steve_Guppy_Left_Foot]

But with 2 separate 11's so in essence we're playing 2 games in 4 days, and some of the players will probably play about 90 minutes game time over the 3 games, doubt many will play 180 minutes and I'd imagine the ones that do will be the ones that need it most. Can't see a problem with it.

[RowlattsFox]

The problem I see with too many pre season games is the lack of time on the training pitch, working on aspects of the game etc. set pieces spring to mind.

The Everton game shouldn't have been a problem but we should have arranged other games around it. You get the impression the game in Thailand was arranged after the other friendlies.

[Foxhateram]

I honestly think that it's the werder Bremen game that's the problem, a week before the season starts against a tough opposition is not ideal, especially at home with fans expecting big things and it's sole purpose being a publicity stunt.