Pre - season friendlies (1 Viewer)

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wantedDOA

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Jul 17, 2012
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Don't post much but always keep an eye on stuff being posted. Just thought I'd add that I visit a place Spain regularly that a lot of teams use as a training base for a little time in the sun and some pre - season training. I get to watch a fair few games when I'm there. Last week happened to be Wigan so I thought I'd take a little look at their squad. Games kicked off at 6pm and it was still 30+ degrees so it was all played at a bit of a canter. They coasted it really in both games but when they stepped it up they looked strong and will be super competitive at this level. I was though, more impressed by their whole set up and can only imagine that the budget they have is vastly superior to ours!! Strange thing and my main point is that as we struggle to put together a decent pre-season schedule, one of their games was against Queen of the South FFS. The other against Hibernian. How can these teams manage it and we can't?

On a side note watching Seville doing their pre-season stuff was on a different level. ;)
 
Grendel

Grendel

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Sep 19, 2011
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I decided to randomly look at one team and their friendliest.

Preston are playing 7 all local and most non league.

It's nonsense to suggest some kind of tour is required.
 
ccfctommy

ccfctommy

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Jul 24, 2008
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Really do not see how a jolly up in Spain in the blazing heat is an advantage to our pre season.
 
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wantedDOA

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Jul 17, 2012
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Can't think why a lot of other teams choose to do it then. Maybe from a team bonding point of view it's a good thing. Training together and living together as a group are two different things.
 
LJC_CCFC

LJC_CCFC

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Aug 22, 2012
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Wigan will have by far the best squad if they can hang on to what remains of last year's team. Two talented keeper's in O'Donnell and Nicholls who will push each other for the starting spot. A defence which includes Tavernier, Daniels, Perch, Barnett, Pearce, Taylor and Morgan who could all arguably play in the Championship. Don Cowie, Chris McCann and Perkins who again could be playing higher, Chris McCann certainly should be. Plus Power, Huws and Chow who are decent youngsters. Then a strike force of Billy McKay, Grant Holt, Craig Davies, Martyn Waghorn and Will Grigg. The game on August 7th will be a good estimator of our chances this year as won't play a better side - on paper - than Wigan. If only they weren't so tinpot.
 
chiefdave

chiefdave

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Sep 27, 2008
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wantedDOA said:
Can't think why a lot of other teams choose to do it then. Maybe from a team bonding point of view it's a good thing. Training together and living together as a group are two different things.
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I think a lot of teams just do it as they've done it for years. Not necessarily abroad years ago but some sort of pre-season trip. These days in the lower leagues I don't think its much use as the point at which you're going away you don't have half you squad in place.

It's not like if we'd gone to Spain we'd be playing better teams so why not save the money and use it elsewhere?
 
Sick Boy

Sick Boy

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Sep 29, 2008
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LJC_CCFC said:
Wigan will have by far the best squad if they can hang on to what remains of last year's team. Two talented keeper's in O'Donnell and Nicholls who will push each other for the starting spot. A defence which includes Tavernier, Daniels, Perch, Barnett, Pearce, Taylor and Morgan who could all arguably play in the Championship. Don Cowie, Chris McCann and Perkins who again could be playing higher, Chris McCann certainly should be. Plus Power, Huws and Chow who are decent youngsters. Then a strike force of Billy McKay, Grant Holt, Craig Davies, Martyn Waghorn and Will Grigg. The game on August 7th will be a good estimator of our chances this year as won't play a better side - on paper - than Wigan. If only they weren't so tinpot.
Click to expand...

Luckily for us it's the first game of the season where anything can happen. I fancy us to do better against them than against Millwall away!
 
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rupert_bear

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Nov 14, 2012
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I am glad the opening 2 games are against relegated teams Wigan and Millwall, we all like to win opening games but pressure is off us to some extent and even losing both not earth shattering. Having said that both were poor last season and deservedly relegated, so they weren't good enough basically. Our division is a barmy one as we know and a number of Wigan players haven't experienced division 3 football, they might just get a shock.
 
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