Everton’s players return to Finch Farm for pre-season on Monday and so will begin a rigorous training programme designed to get them into shape for the new campaign.
Blues players – several of whom have continued fitness work in the close season – will undergo a first week of preparation in Halewood before heading to a camp in Ireland ahead of the friendly with Sligo Rovers.
Most have already experienced a summer under Sean Dyche – but those yet to do so are in for a rude awakening that will include his gruelling, infamous Gaffer’s Day. As the countdown to the new season begins, here are a few things to look out for on Monday.
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New faces set to be welcomed into the squad
Two players who have not been tested by Dyche before are the early summer signings. Midfielder Tim Iroegbunam joined from Aston Villa last month while forward Iliman Ndiaye was confirmed as a new Everton star last week. The pair will get their first opportunity to introduce themselves to their new teammates and the staff who will be overseeing their progress.
And some familiar faces will also return
Everton have, of course, secured three arrivals so far this summer. But Jack Harrison’s presence will signal the return of a familiar face after his successful loan spell from Leeds United last season. He will not be the only returning character either. Mason Holgate spent last season on loan, first at Southampton and then at Sheffield United. Neal Maupay, meanwhile, started the campaign in Dyche’s first XI but ended up moving on loan to Brentford. Despite a good spell in London, Thomas Frank’s side did not take up the option to make the move permanent. That means Holgate and Maupay will be able to get reacquainted with their old haunts and teammates.
Initial fitness tests and checks
Everyone who arrives at Finch Farm on Monday will undergo a series of tests and examinations as medical and fitness staff assess their health after the summer break over the opening days of the week. Last summer, those initial checks included getting baseline measurements for body fat and muscle mass as well as more general medical tests and work to judge players’ reaction times and the condition of individual muscles and joints. Gaffer’s Day – when the footballs are discarded for a day of hardcore physical tests set by Dyche – will come later.
Dyche’s ‘train how you play’ mantra
Once work starts on the grass there will be some features you are unlikely to spot. They include players wearing snoods and hats – while they will be donning shin pads. These were commands from Dyche that were made as soon as he arrived at the club, with him explaining: “This has been going round for years and it drives me mad. Unless I’ve been out of the game for too long, you’re not allowed to wear hats when you play on a Saturday, you’re not allowed to wear snoods when you play on a Saturday and you have to, by the rules, wear shin pads. It is not rocket science. Everyone makes the mythical story that it’s hard lines from Sean Dyche. It is just common sense. You train how you play, how can you train how you play if you have 14 snoods on, 15 hats and leggings, no shin pads, white socks, it’s not relevant. I told the players, ‘these myths I’m going to bust them for you right now’. I explained to them. There is not a single player here where everything is not explained to them. I’d be surprised if any of them are in the dark on anything. I explain everything to them and the reason behind it.”
Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
