Medical Team Addition

Newcastle have appointed one of the country's leading medical fitness guru's to help solve the crisis we endured last season. Faye Downey, who has a very high level CV is now part of our team and this can only bode well for next season. I don't think I'm alone in saying the number of injuries we got on the training ground was nothing short of disgraceful and played a big part in our dismal season.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...aid-Alan-Pardews-pre-season-preparations.html

 

I think it goes deeper than that e.g. an inherent high attritional nature of the training ground, because the high injury rate has been an almost constant feature of our season for around 6-7 years now

 

I think it is a good appointment. However I think there are a multitude of reasons combining to create these issues.

First off last season was particularly bad because we went in light and the extra strain told. This is not the first time we have done this.

You then have people like HBA who is a bit of playboy, doesn't look after himself and as a result picks up regular injuries. You then have the likes of Saylor, Marveaux, Raylor, Gosling, Ameobi, Vuckic who are just injury prone and historically pick up regular injuries. You then have Colo is 30 plus and has started to pick the niggles etc you expect with 30 plus players.

So whilst things look bad on the face of it and appointing an expert is very good news, I think they are limited to what they can impact on by the situation. I think we'll find with less games to contend, less travel, we'll find an instant reduction. However I'm not sure she can make HBA look after himself better or get the others to become less innjury prone. Most have long standing problems - we knew about them when we signed them. Santon and Ba were similar but we got away with those ones.

She might be able to do something with Cabaye.

 

It took this regime 5 years to understand the importance of fitness and conditioning in modern day sports. I wonder how long it will take them to figure out how over their heads they are operating a high level football team.

 

To be fair we have had all the sports fitness and conditioning job specific roles for an extremely long time now. I think this is them bringing someone in above them to try and pinpoint what is being done wrong, how we can work better etc. Nothing wrong with looking to improve.

 

This could prove to be one of the best additions the club has made in a long time.

 

It will be as good as a new signing

 

good call. Glad it's been addressed to some extent

 

How many player days did we miss to injury last season ? It's like half a dozen new signings.

 

"Just like a new signing" Alan Pardew, 2013

 

This needed to happen

 

It's the only addition to date

 

Now all we need is a set piece coach and we'll be in the Champions League.

 

Is she not too old?

Even with her undoubted knowledge of fitness, conditioning, nutrition etc it's 46 years since she was in " Bonnie and Clyde " with Warren Beatty.

 

Is she fit?

 

As a butchers dog...

 

Hope she works her magic as I see our Shola picked up another strain in training to miss yesterdays match.