I remember Ian St John, as a successful manager, stating that the first thing to go on a football field when tiredness sets in, is a players natural ability.

We have seen our team playing like champions for 45 minutes and then fading and looking very second, even third rate before the game is finished and I wonder if this is what Ian St John was referring to.

When I see the ball breaking off ICT players to the opposition in the second half and this not being the case in the first half I wonder if the natural ability to get the ball under control has deserted them.

There is no doubt in my mind that in the past when ICT were up against any standard of team, the final part of the game belonged to them. Their fitness was never in doubt. Now I wonder if this is the case.

Could a better second half be enjoyed by improving their fitness/amending their training so that we could again witness a team that can perform for 90+ minutes, without breaking sweat?

Is the senior age tag we now seem to have attached to our team mean that training is geared to the more senior players, less strenuous perhaps but creating problems on match days?

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I remember Ian St John, as a successful manager, stating that the first thing to go on a football field when tiredness sets in, is a players natural ability.

We have seen our team playing like champions for 45 minutes and then fading and looking very second, even third rate before the game is finished and I wonder if this is what Ian St John was referring to.

When I see the ball breaking off ICT players to the opposition in the second half and this not being the case in the first half I wonder if the natural ability to get the ball under control has deserted them.

There is no doubt in my mind that in the past when ICT were up against any standard of team, the final part of the game belonged to them. Their fitness was never in doubt. Now I wonder if this is the case.

Could a better second half be enjoyed by improving their fitness/amending their training so that we could again witness a team that can perform for 90+ minutes, without breaking sweat?

Is the senior age tag we now seem to have attached to our team mean that training is geared to the more senior players, less strenuous perhaps but creating problems on match days?

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That is both a credible and a valid point. What if any fitness training do the squad get now? What tactical training do they get for that matter? Is it just jumpers for goals and 5-a-sides at Ardersier now?

There's no doubt - they do look pretty jaded after 90 minutes, in comparison with days gone by.

Strangely, County seem to be looking like a super fit team these days.

I wonder why that is....

:009:

fitness definitely an issue ..... the last few games have shown we are a 45 minute team in a 90 minute world

Say what you like about Craig Brewster's tactical or managerial ability but there can be no denying that he definitely had the lads fit for a full 90 minute game.

Say what you like about Craig Brewster's tactical or managerial ability but there can be no denying that he definitely had the lads fit for a full 90 minute game.

Exactly the point I was going to make.

In his first spell with us,practically no matter what the opposition we would be well on topand looking to score.

So the team is not as fit as it was, most agree that tactics are not Terry's strong point, what are his managerial strengths then :009:

I don't think you can blame fitness for the poor showing so far this season. A quick look at stats show we have actually won more 2nd halfs than first. Poor tactics, individual mistakes and players who are not as good as they think they are, are costing us goals and points

Score in first half ----------- Final score

1st half winning= 6,

- Morton(1-0)--------------------- 3-0

- Dunfermline(1-0)----------------1-1

- Ayr Utd(4-1) ---------------------5-1

- Morton(3-1) ---------------------4-1

- Airdrie(1-0) ---------------------2-0

- Partick(1-0) ---------------------1-2

Score 2nd half ----------------Final score

2nd half winning= 9,

- Dunfermline(1-0)-----------------1-0

- Morton(2-0)-----------------------3-0

- Airdrie(1-0)-----------------------1-1

- Partick(2-0)----------------------2-3

- Raith R(1-0)----------------------1-0

- Ayr utd(1-0)----------------------5-1

- Morton(1-0)-----------------------4-1

- Ross C(1-0)-----------------------1-2

- Airdrie(1-0)-----------------------2-0

Say what you like about Craig Brewster's tactical or managerial ability but there can be no denying that he definitely had the lads fit for a full 90 minute game.

Exactly the point I was going to make.

In his first spell with us,practically no matter what the opposition we would be well on topand looking to score.

Will posters please consider that others may be having difficulties refraining from making offensive posts. Say what you like about Craig Brewster? Fit lads? well on top? Selective quoting I know but come on, stop it. :009:

So the team is not as fit as it was, most agree that tactics are not Terry's strong point, what are his managerial strengths then :009:

I thought it was obvious.....its his media skills!

So the team is not as fit as it was, most agree that tactics are not Terry's strong point, what are his managerial strengths then :)

I thought it was obvious.....its his media skills!

I remember Brewster was astonished by how unfit the players had become when he returned. I think this may have a lot to do with it. Too much chillin' in Starbucks and not enough slogging up Torvean quarry with breeze blocks in a rucksack.

I wonder about the teams fitness levels too in fact i mentioned it in the match day thread

I know Brewsters a fitness fanatic & County are flying just now

But i remember not so long ago when Ian Black said Brew worked the team too hard & by Saturday their legs were too knackered for the full match :)

Anyone else remember reading this ?

I wonder about the teams fitness levels too in fact i mentioned it in the match day thread

I know Brewsters a fitness fanatic & County are flying just now

But i remember not so long ago when Ian Black said Brew worked the team too hard & by Saturday their legs were too knackered for the full match :)

Anyone else remember reading this ?

I remember reading something about it...

I have been making this point for weeks !!!!!!!!! I always had the feeling that Brewster over did the fitness training but having seen Ross County twice now I believe he seems to have got the balance right.

In the past we have overcome lack of fitness with ability we would appear to have lost both. :angry: :angry: :angry:

Our fitness levels have dropped dramatically since Brew left, it could also be due to the fact that a lot of our players have past the peak of their careers and as a result their fitness will begin to worsen.

Our fitness levels have dropped dramatically since Brew left, it could also be due to the fact that a lot of our players have past the peak of their careers and as a result their fitness will begin to worsen.

In my original post I mentioned the 'senior' tag we now seem to have.

I can imagine TB wanting 4 circuits of the park at team training 'but you Foran, Rossco, Munro and Golly just you do 2!!''

Aye right!! The young guns would be up in arms.

So...is there a compromise in place where they all do 3 perhaps, to keep the peace?

Talking about keeping the peace, I realise that the above will not be the case but is good relationships in the dressing room more important, at the moment, than hard training?? We were told Brewster lost the dressing room - surprise, surprise if they had just been made to overstretch themselves in training, in the player's opinion - I don't hear any of that at this time.

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Our fitness levels have dropped dramatically since Brew left, it could also be due to the fact that a lot of our players have past the peak of their careers and as a result their fitness will begin to worsen.

Never say never again. Remember what Brew did for Bazza. We have many players, who are just starting or are in a career watershed and could do with some healthy training habits. Black's comments, as I recall, were part of his leaving debrief, (or was it Brews?). And while there is such a thing as over training, and I think this can have a cumulative effect over the season, I think ICT are a long way off that.

Fitness is a huge element right now from what I can see, but I can't help but feel sometimes, that where the fitness is most important, it is absent from those players. Those players are the full backs, and at the current rate, both Tokely and Golabek have to be the slowest, unfittest players in the team. Look how often ICT are done on the counter attack, when Tokely has neither the speed or the staying power to get back in time from his forward runs. The same can be said for Golabek on his side. Lionel and Hastings may have had their faults, but if someone got passed them on that side, they could still stay with them and challenge them when they go for a cross. Now with the slower-than-a-week-in-jail right back in Rosscoe, and the slow, overweight pensioner in Golabek, if someone with even a slight bit of pace gets past them, there's no chance they'll be caught.

What County have done this season IMO is very clever. What they have is, I think it's fair to say, an excellent fitness coach in Craig Brewster, doing fitness and fitness alone, along with a fairly decent tactician in Derek Adams. Is it any coincidence that in essentially every Highland Derby this season, County have look far more organised and more fit than the ICT team? To me, this issue could well make or break ICT's season.

Our fitness levels have dropped dramatically since Brew left, it could also be due to the fact that a lot of our players have past the peak of their careers and as a result their fitness will begin to worsen.

In my original post I mentioned the 'senior' tag we now seem to have.

I can imagine TB wanting 4 circuits of the park at team training 'but you Foran, Rossco, Munro and Golly just you do 2!!''

Aye right!! The young guns would be up in arms.

So...is there a compromise in place where they all do 3 perhaps, to keep the peace?

Talking about keeping the peace, I realise that the above will not be the case but is good relationships in the dressing room more important, at the moment, than hard training?? We were told Brewster lost the dressing room - surprise, surprise if they had just been made to overstretch themselves in training, in the player's opinion - I don't hear any of that at this time.

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Foran and Munro are still in there 20's and Tokely is only 30 , no age at all for defenders .

Does anyone actually know what the teams training regime is?

I heard they are only in training from 9-12??? surely that can't be true!!

Rooney can be hurd doing his own fittness almost everyday after dinner, grunting away in his garage, so by my guess it seems alot of the players take up there own fitness training, Doogy can be seen in the Gym most nights when not out and about, also Foran and LDZ...

Fitness is a huge element right now from what I can see, but I can't help but feel sometimes, that where the fitness is most important, it is absent from those players. Those players are the full backs, and at the current rate, both Tokely and Golabek have to be the slowest, unfittest players in the team. Look how often ICT are done on the counter attack, when Tokely has neither the speed or the staying power to get back in time from his forward runs. The same can be said for Golabek on his side.

Wonder if someone at the club read this and decided to give these two some extra training...

Hence their injuries?

;)

They are getting on abit to be honest lol!!