Why Chesterfield should be better equipped to avoid injuries this season

James Rowe says Chesterfield have been working hard to improve their ‘robustness’ for the new season.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Town suffered injuries to a number of key players towards the back end of the last campaign but the manager hopes the graft they have put in during pre-season will stand them in good stead this time around.

The gaffer explained that the focus has been training at the same high intensity that they play matches.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"We had a couple of casualties from that last year but we wanted to build that robustness to that intensity in pre-season so the last six or seven weeks in pre-season, it was a lot of physical stuff in terms of training to the levels that we want during a game,” Rowe said.

James Rowe. Picture: Tina Jenner.James Rowe. Picture: Tina Jenner.
James Rowe. Picture: Tina Jenner.

"The sports science team do a fantastic job for me, they get me all the information I need and I work closely with them daily to make sure we hit certain figures in training, individual figures and unit figures.

"Our recovery rate is probably quicker than it has been in the nine months I have been here so we are able to train with intensity this week after those two games (against Wealdstone and King’s Lynn) but nothing crazy, we had our recovery in there as well.

"We want to train as much as we can at the same intensity so it comes natural on a matchday.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Rowe is really enjoying working with the team and the way that they are learning and growing all the time.

“The way they are training is impressive,” he told the DT.

"The intensity and the culture of the place, including the staff, is full focus.

"I am really pleased with the three wins and three two-nils but they don’t just come up, you don’t just rock up and play, there is a lot of planning that goes up.

"First and foremost the players need to buy into what you are doing and they have certainly done that.

“We are not getting carried away, it is a long, arduous season in terms of the different types of challenges that you face.”