Roy of the Rovers A New Beginning Chapter 2 Vernon did not want an answer to his question immediately, he wanted

d Jake Cheetham to think about it, whether he wanted to lead Melchester Rovers, whether he felt he could handle the responsibility. The first few weeks of pre-season would be turbulent. Gerry and he had planned a severe test of each players mentality and fitness. They needed their captain to fully support everything they did, to be a voice of unity not dissent. Jake Cheetham was their man; the current captain, Steve Daley was old-school. A brute of a centre-half, all heart but unlikely to embrace the strict fitness regime that would emerge in the next few days. Jake, go home, think about this. Come back in the morning and tell us. Take these and read them, they are the plans for pre-season. See what you think. If you are fully committed to the plan then you will be a real asset to us as leader. Gerry Holloway handed Jake a folder containing the PEP programme for pre-season fitness training. I dont know what to say. I just want to tell my dad! With that Jake jogged out into the car park and into his sponsored car, a modest Korean built saloon in Rovers red. The players day was finished but for Vernon and Gerry it was just the start. Vernon loaded up the dossier he had created on Melchesters strengths and weakness from last season at Kelburn. The first page was simple, their typical line-up, goalscorers, appearances, nothing insightful: Daniels; Piedra, Jones, Daley, Lamidel; Batty, Cheetham, De Mol; NDiaye, Morrison, Van Den Broeck Two players, De Mol and Morrison, had let their contracts expire and had moved on to rivals, Michael De Mol to Tynecaster and Morrison to Kingsbay. Olly Morrison had worn the famous Number 9 shirt and was top scorer with eighteen goals. He would be difficult to replace. Weve no money to sign a top striker, but I like young Jacobs, Gerry. He is a real left-winger. We should put Van Den Broeck into the centre and bring Jacobs in on the left. Then we have natural width. Vernon and Gerry had discussed this move many times, but it felt necessary to go through it again, now they were in place, in the training ground. Van Den Broeck plays the Roy Race role. Melchester have to have the drifting centre forward, what some call the false number 9. But the next problem comes with the passing game; how do we get Franky the ball? He flicked to the next slide, which contained complex interactive diagrams showing the pass distribution of every player. Short passes were in white, medium in yellow and long in red. Even with all eleven mens passes displayed at once there was a clear pattern. Long red lines stretched from the back four haphazardly aimed towards the target-man, Morrison. Vernon clicked so that only the long passes from the defenders were displayed. Next he manipulated the diagram to show white for successful passes and black for unsuccessful. The results were startling, the statistical display box showed a clear problem; only 15% of the long passes played out of defence went to a Rovers player. There it is Gerry, our big weakness! The defenders are not good enough or (hopefully) confident enough to pass the ball into midfield. They just lump aimless balls to the target-man. We know they were not told to do it, it was not their tactics. They just did it. They saw the big man up top and took the easy option; to punt it! Gerry, nodded, So we take away the target man?

A sample of the passing diagrams from Gerrys program

Thats the plan, man! Surely they wont still punt it to nobody! Vernon consulted his notes, Yes, the next problem, our wingers. He clicked so that the diagram just showed Franky Van Den Broeck and Fabrice NDiaye. The contrast was obvious, Franky had lots of short passes played from an inside left position, while Fabrices pattern was of an orthodox winger, lots of longer balls and crosses from the outside right. If Jacobs can come in and replicate NDiaye then Ill be happy. Premier League teams cannot defend against two real wingers. We will surprise them. At the moment we are unbalanced, like so many other Premier teams. The next section of the dossier covered possession, then set-pieces and the next discipline/fouls and the final part detailed running zones. It was this section that Gerry had spent a week refining and adapting to Vernons PEP programme. What will we show the players from this section? Vernon was worried that some of the analysis would embarrass the players who did not run as much as others, giving the wrong message. The purpose of the statistics was to highlight the correct areas to pressure the opposition, when best to sprint and when to hang off. Some players naturally do this better than others, but with a little guidance and a good leader in midfield, the team can press and counter-attack more effectively. In training the next day the squad would be assigned sprinting drills to replicate putting the opposition under pressure and then including a counter attack. These counter-attacks would then be broken down, really stretching the sprinting abilities of the team as they track back from attacking positions. The session would be flexible in length to reflect the actual fitness levels of the squad. It would do good to completely drain them this early in pre-season. But sessions will get tougher; Vernon was a great believer that training should be harder than anything you would face in a match. This was the way it was under Roy Race, back when Rovers were winning trophies with regularity. The game had not changed that much. ***

Trevor Brinsden was in his office at Mel Park reviewing the press cuttings his media officer had prepared for him and his co-Chairman, David Roth. During the previous two years Melchester Rovers had made too many bad headlines. Controversial signings, dodgy agents, bungs, poor behaviour on and off the field; it seemed that not a week went by without some negative press coverage. Even good wins coincided with indifferent performances from referees or another leaked story. However,

today the headlines made pleasant reading for Brinsden and Roth. The press conference had been a hit. Trevors passionate display against the evils of modern football really struck a note with the experienced pressmen. One even wrote that it should be a turning point for English football, how Melchester fans had reclaimed their club and that others must follow suit. Listen to this Dave: Mr Brinsden, a reformed hooligan and successful businessman, is the perfect modern chairman. He fully understands what football supporters want and need. The worrying trend of foreign ownership is slowly reversing and what better model could there be than Melchester Rovers, the most famous football club in the world. Are there any bad ones? David Roth, an advertising guru, held the Daily Gazette cutting up, Lucas! Of course! What a spiteful, hate-filled man!
Yesterdays events at the wonderful Mel Park Stadium reflected the shambolic state of a once great footballing institution. Melchester Rovers are in a dark place and under the guidance of their new leadership I cannot see how they can ever return to the top. A chairman with a less than satisfactory past, who was once even accused of shooting Roy Race and who was arrested over a dozen times for hooliganism should never be allowed to make board level decisions at a Premier League team. Again the fit-and-proper-person test leaves a great club exposed to the wills of someone not fit to do the job Vernon Eliot will have to discover hidden magical powers to prevent Rovers relegation from the Premier League. Without a penny to spend the joyous scenes outside Mel Park yesterday will soon turn to protests. There is no way a community-owned club can compete at the top end of English football. Brinsden, Race and company are doomed to failure.

Trevor folded the article and put it in his blazer pocket, I wont forget what that man writes about us. When were back to our best Im gonna show him this! Just in case, Trev, Ill get my man to dig up some dirt on this Lucas. If he finds out everything about us well have to take him seriously. For now this stuff is just opinion. It does no harm.

***

Vernon and Gerry were at the training ground before the players arrived. Their fitness instructor was due to arrive in the next ten minutes, but was often late. So the plan is to do the short medical exams, then have a kick around. Well have breakfast while the medicals take place. Then this afternoon we do the fitness drills. Vernon confirmed the days activities with his assistant. Jim Davis, the fitness trainer from Loughborough University appeared in the doorway, Morning lads! Are we all set? he asked, Yep, all ready, man, replied Vernon, leading the way to the medical room. Heres the program we use to record the results of these tests. Its pretty straight forward for someone of your experience. But it ties in nicely with our PEP software. Just click through the players as you see them. Thanks pal! The players were beginning to arrive; one of the first was Jake Cheetham, the young central midfielder. He looked excited yet nervous as he made his way to the managers office. Morning boss, its me! Can we talk now? said Jake, Of course, come in and take a seat. So what do you say? Jake sat down and nervously picked at his fingers, I want to be captain of Melchester Rovers! I want to lead us! Your plans are brilliant. I know we can do this! He was talking so fast that Vernon

had to slow him down, Well, son, thats it then. Dont tell anyone yet, let me speak with Steve Daley first. He might be angry. In a way I hope he is! At around 10 oclock all the squad were present, chatting away in the cafeteria. Vernon, Gerry and the fitness instructor stood at the front of the room, Morning everyone! Just enjoy your breakfast for now, but were going to do some basic medicals. When your name is called go into the medical room to see Jim. It wont take long. First up is Steve. Daley rose and followed the trainer along the corridor, A quick word, Steve. I want to talk about the captaincy. I think we need a change. Ive asked Jake to do it. I take it thats not a problem, Daley looked a bit shocked, but not angry, No boss. In fact I was going to ask you about it. The job has affected my performance, my form. Its not like when I captain at Redstoke. Rovers are the biggest club in the world. It has messed with my head, all the responsibility and history that comes with that armband. Neither Vernon or Gerry had ever captained the Rovers, so couldnt offer any advice, but Roy Race was back at the club and would be at the training ground later that day, Why dont you and Jake go and speak to Racey after training today, he will have some words of wisdom for you? Gerry suggested, That sounds like a good idea. Ill talk to Jake about it. With that the former captain of Melchester Rovers entered the ultra-modern but sterile medical room for his examination. As the medicals took place, Vernon and Gerry monitored the data as Jim was inputting the results of the tests. Gerry had programmed an algorithm to determine whether the players were fit enough for the potentially strenuous exercises in the afternoon. There were no concerns; while the fitness levels varied to an extent, Gerry was pleased that the general standard was surprisingly high. The two coaches decided that they would go ahead with the kick-about as planned. Two captains were picked, like at school, and they chose players one-by-one, Vernon thought this would be fun and take any seriousness out of the game. But he was wrong; the first few challenges were tough. The feisty young forward, Richie Lyons, sent Drew Powell sprawling and Nick Batty, the combative midfielder, clattered and dived into tackle after tackle.

As the game continued, it became clear to Vernon that there were some serious issues between certain players. Lyons was not a popular man. He was twenty years old, but yet to make any real case to be a regular starter. A prickly character, but very skilful. Perhaps he was trying extra hard to impress now that the centre forwards role was vacant, thought Vernon. But the first training session of the season was no place for rough play. So Vernon called an early halt to his fun kick-about, Alright lads, thats enough. No more contact stuff. Well do some set plays. Show me what you did last season. The full set. Lets go! Corners!

Fabrice NDiaye was the set-piece specialist, but without the large physical presence of Olly Morrison, there would be a lack of targets to aim for. Harry! Youre a big lad. Get to that front post and attack the ball! Harry Jacobs, the left-winger, who Vernon hoped would transform the teams attacking game, stood at six feet two and was strongly built. He reminded Vernon of himself in his prime, quick and skilful, but muscular, able to hold-off challenges from full-backs. NDiaye whipped in the first corner towards the near-post run of Jacobs, but the run was miss-timed and the ball fizzed across the area and out of danger. Again, keep going! I want to see all your corner routines! You have to use Harry like you would Morrison. It will work! After three or four unsuccessful tries, Vernon intervened, Harry, you have to let Fabrice know when you want the ball. Only you can tell when you will arrive in the correct spot. You cannot wait for him. Shout when you want the corner taken. Try it! Listen for the call Fab!

Straight away the routine worked, Harry timed his run perfectly onto the in-swinger, out jumped the defender and his header sailed into the far corner of the goal. Well done! You see boys, simple things make a massive difference. Why does the man taking the corner or free kick decide when to strike the ball? Hes not going to head it! It makes no sense, does it? Now try your other corners but with the calls reversed. So for the back post delivery, Franky, you do the call! Go! During his time in Belgium, Vernon had experienced an entirely different footballing culture. At Vengeren so many training activities and basic aspects of match preparation were done in entirely the opposite way to what he had seen in the lower divisions of English football. Not all were better ways, but he had judged those that were and written them into his programmes. It seemed to Vernon that in England we did things one way because we had always done them that way, not because that was actually the best way to do them. At Kelburn Freddy Sepp had transformed the squad into one that could cope with the new methods, it had worked, they became Champions. But they had bought players in, spending hundreds of millions of pounds. Those who could not adapt were simply replaced. It would be much harder at Melchester; it would be as much a psychological challenge as a technical one. The players must accept that so much of the way they had always trained, planned, prepared and played was just wrong.

There was just one more activity to complete the first day of training, the team photo:

Storky Knight (14th August 2013) The story continues next week, as Melchester Rovers play their first pre-season friendly Stay up to date with all ROTR 2013/14 updates by following: https://twitter.com/storky_knight http://royoftheroversstorkyk.blogspot.co.uk/