Kevin Philips Blog

Jack Lesterfan · Jul 14, 2014

Interesting read from our Super Kev!

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/29333/9381567

After a nice summer break, I began my new career as a coach at Leicester last week â but donât worry, I've still been doing all the pre-season running!

I always pushed myself hard in training as a player and Iâve not ducked out of any fitness sessions this summer. But what I have had to get used to are the long hours. Being a coach is like having a proper job!

Iâm leaving home at 7.30am and not getting back until about 5pm. Itâs necessary and Iâm not moaning, but itâs something I have to get used to after 20 years of arriving at the training ground about 10am and leaving at 1.30pm as a player.

I bumped into Gary Rowett, the Burton Albion manager, on the way home from holiday and he wished me good luck in my new role. I asked him if he had any advice and he said âsay goodbye to your familyâ!

Coaching is something I want to do, though, and Iâm a great believer in doing it right. If that means I have to stay for long hours and have meetings and so on, then Iâm more than happy to do it.

Iâm under no illusions, I may be at a Premier League club, but Iâm starting my coaching career on the bottom rung of the ladder and itâs going to be a learning curve for me. I had to do it the hard way as a player, though, where I came through non-league and now Iâm trying to work my way up in coaching.

Fortunately Iâve got excellent teachers in Nigel Pearson, Craig Shakespeare and the rest of the coaching team at Leicester and Iâm taking plenty of notes â something I havenât done for 20 years!

As for the training, itâs amazing how football has come on because the first week or two of pre-season are governed by the sports science department, in terms of what the players can and canât do. They dictate how much work load should be put on the players and itâs been interesting to see it from that side.

The key thing at the moment is minimising the risk of injury. Thatâs so important at this stage of the season. The lads will naturally get stronger and fitter as the weeks go on, but an injury would set them back.

Talking about shape and structure will come later. Right now, itâs about getting them fit, keeping them bubbly and making them look forward to each session.

On the first day back, everyone was buzzing, with the prospect of Premier League football on the way. However, as is always the way, the lads have got quieter as the weekâs gone on and theyâve become more tired from the sessions. So, the coachesâ challenge is to keep the sessions enjoyable and keep the players focused.

Weâre off to Austria this week, where Iâll be given the strikers for a couple of afternoons to do whatever I see fit, and Iâll have a chat with the fitness coach to discuss how hard I can work them. Itâll be nice to put last weekâs observations into practice out on the pitch and pass on some of my knowledge.

Weâll just be training out there â no friendlies â and itâs a great chance for the lads to bond with each other and the new signings to gel with the squad. All Premier League clubs will be going away during the summer and I can say that as a player I certainly saw the benefit of these trips. Youâre living together 24/7 and get to know each other inside out.

The team went out there last summer and apparently the facilities are very good, the weather should be nice and everythingâs geared up for a good weekâs training.

Then the games will start comingâ¦

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Barwellfox · Jul 14, 2014

Obvious manager material in the future. Always come across as a really sensible guy, and speaks very clearly. Could save us a fortune on a new striker if he can have an effect on Wood et al.

Kevin Philips Blog

Jack Lesterfan Well-Known Member

Barwellfox Well-Known Member

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Kevin Philips Blog

Jack Lesterfan Well-Known Member

Barwellfox Well-Known Member

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