Paul Parker Article

No rest for Prem stars

Thu Jul 09 02:07PM

Players return from their summer holidays this week, some barely a month after their last game, but all will be expected to hit the ground running.

Considering the brevity of their breaks - and the shortness of the leashes they are kept on by their clubs - most players should not be too unfit when they arrive back.

During the off-season, a top flight player's every move - including what he eats and drinks - is monitored by his club and scrutinised by the press in equal measures.

As such, Premier League players' fitness levels, already incredibly high, have barely had a chance to drop off, making their return to training that bit easier.

It was different in my day when pre-season was an unpleasant time of the year for me - and many others.

Back then we were allowed a little more leeway in what we could get up to on our holidays and with a longer period between the end of the season and the beginning of the new one, getting back into shape was difficult at best.

The first thing we did at training camp was a gruelling endurance race, and considering I was more a sprinter than a long-distance runner, more often than not I struggled.

The most physically demanding pre-seasons I suffered were when I was with Fulham and we used to go jogging through Richmond Park or along the River Thames from Craven Cottage until we were on our knees.

But these days the emphasis during pre-season has shifted and it is not all about seemingly endless cross-country runs.

Training methods have moved with the times and, with players' fitness levels already relatively high when they return, there is no need to put them through what we used to have to go through.

Instead more emphasis is put on developing agility and flexibility during that first week back, certainly at Premier League clubs.

Of course, in the tougher lower divisions, brute strength is still an asset and those clubs' training regimes are more likely to resemble the ones I undertook at QPR and Fulham.

But at least for the top flight clubs, pre-season training should not be something to be feared, nor should the shortness of the summer break be a bone of contention.

Considering the length of a player's career, the relatively short-term sacrifice of a dry and healthy summer holiday will be well worth the rewards to be reaped once it's over.

Comments31 - 58 of 58
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For once, Paul has come up with a decent article that merits attention. Before now, he had either knowingly or unkwonwingly tended to show his bias in most of his write-up which have drawn so much criticisms. Let's hope that this will be a point of departure from preious articles which unwarrantly targeted some teams and their players while always praising his team, Man Utd.
From amaidunama on Thu Jul 09 06:35PM
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Hey rjpanzarino comment 29 your weird think you got a little crush on parker? By the way that's what a blog is for voicing opinions and if you don't like other giving there opinions then tough, get loss. Funny how your thoughts turned to people playing with there "Tiny thing" how do you know how big it is? and what's all this about prostitutes? are you gone mad from playing with yourself? This is about football son all that smutty talk!!! my son you sound frustrated, sounds like you need a good night out with hookers.
From francis.brooker on Thu Jul 09 06:45PM
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Another load of blatantly obvious drivel. Agree with number 30.
From dpassmore on Thu Jul 09 06:55PM
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Some people are taking Aleve for someone else headache....rubbish article by Parker is more than 2 or 3 good ones he ever write......and i do see any good article from him anymore....One thing is sure, as i have observed, whenever Parker posts a good article people praise him but the worst one are in great folds....I Blues fan and i dislike it whenever he drags my team name in mud but refuses to do the same for Manures when they commit the same kind of offense. Example, when a player turn ManU offer down!
From lennoxmallory on Thu Jul 09 07:01PM
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rjpanzarino sounds very aggravated maybe he fancies PP.
From niccidunning on Thu Jul 09 07:14PM
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more rubbish as usual from s**t for brains parker
From mickbev on Thu Jul 09 07:38PM
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"considering I was more a sprinter" - you didn't do that well closing Andreas Brehme down in 1990 did you Paul? But well done for not mentioning Man U.
From stevenolbison on Thu Jul 09 07:41PM
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rjpanzarino definitely fancies Paul Parker.
From simonmills82 on Thu Jul 09 08:11PM
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rjpanzarino definitely fancies Paul Parker.
From simonmills82 on Thu Jul 09 08:11PM
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sorry but i would be a very happy man to get payed 100k a week, to get payed when im sick and just to run around kicking a ball 3 to 4 times a week....
From martin_bland on Thu Jul 09 09:39PM
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About time you wrote a blog worth reading and not sucking up to utd Mr parker! Bet your back to your old ways in your nxt blog though!
From john.gleave on Thu Jul 09 09:43PM
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cor parker isnt talking about united for once shock horror as for players holidays well us working class people get 4weeks and the bank holidays of a year and these over paid players get most of the week of after what playing for 2hours on a saturday and maybe tuesday or wednesday nite and they have the cheek to say this is hard work well bully them lets see if they can go out and do a 50hour week every week for £700 take home and see how they like it poor little mites
From thorndaletransport on Thu Jul 09 10:18PM
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I no longer come here to read Parker's drivel; i much prefer the comments . . . . . an absolute joy!!
Thanks to all the contributors, you certainly brighten my day - fantastic stuff!
From cameronwestwood on Thu Jul 09 10:29PM
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Yes I Do fancy Mr. Parker oh and guess what I am a ManU fan also, but to tell the truth I fancy your Mother after I have shaved the hair off her back. I knew if I wrote that the genius I OFFENDED would come crawling out from under the bed. See, your just the little pea brains I wrote about earlier. Oh, one more thing, Have a Nice Day....you @#$% have made mine!!!
From rjpanzarino on Fri Jul 10 12:06AM
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Whoever wrote "WOW and SUPER-WOW" GENIUS MATE, F**KIN' GENIUS. MADE ME LAUGH. KEEP THEM COMING!
From toyboyscouse on Fri Jul 10 03:45AM
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I never thought this would happen but that was a good read Mr Parker
From danswaste on Fri Jul 10 08:45AM
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"some barely a month after their last game, but all will be expected to hit the ground running"
Don't make me laugh, that is their job. the vast majority of the public only get 20 days holiday themselves, and they're putting in a full days work each and every day. Not just a few hours a day like footballers.
From kieronbrown73 on Fri Jul 10 12:44PM
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He he rjpanzarino your going nuts me boy! talking about who's mother you had!!! what??? My mother said she had you and you were sh** . So crawl back under your little safe rock and play with you thingy
From francis.brooker on Fri Jul 10 04:09PM
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professional football would benefit greatly from a days rest once a week, no football, no signings, on that day.
There would be fewer injuries, and a better balance between football and money in the sport.
From harvister79 on Fri Jul 10 04:26PM
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Shut up parker
From mrcrocodilemr01 on Fri Jul 10 04:35PM
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Paul parker? what can i say? Paul parker....hmmmm
From kuide8888 on Sat Jul 11 01:38AM
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Nice article i actually liked how he played at QPR, what a team was that! And for the haters his articles on amateur journalism are solid from a lot of so called football experts he actually played the game and achieved something in his carer keep it on Paul!
From pmarovic77 on Sat Jul 11 11:35AM
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if you dont like his articles then dont read them its not as if yahoo is forcing you too so if you dont like it dont read it
From jamie.gamble2 on Sat Jul 11 12:45PM
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been on my knees in Richmond park a few times too.
From haroldplumpton on Sun Jul 12 02:16AM
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Paul, come and join the lads in Afghanistan mate - I'll show what the poor little darlings on 100k+ a week are missing. When was the last time they played in 48 degs heat for 6-8 hours. Oh and someone trying to kill you in the process. I think I hear violins...
From msv299 on Sun Jul 12 07:31PM
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Thay get payed enough get on with it
From zzcap2000 on Mon Jul 13 01:37PM
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"Considering the length of a player's career, the relatively short-term sacrifice of a dry and healthy summer holiday will be well worth the rewards to be reaped once it's over." I watched Dean Windass on sky sports talking about being Darlington's new player coach. He said "I have to work long hours now, 9 - 5. There's no more going home at 12 o clock." Just about sums up a footballer's life.
From rob1thomson on Mon Jul 13 09:44PM
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Not long for another dramatic Premier League Season. Manchester united have lost players so maybe just maybe Manchester United will NOT win the premier league
From nathward on Tue Jul 14 06:45AM
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