Newcastle’s non-World Cup playing stars returned to Benton today after a two-week break.
The squad and staff are back at it at the club’s Benton training ground, getting back into a rhythm before they jet off to Riyadh next Sunday for a six-day warm-weather training camp, during which they will play a friendly against Al-Hilal.
This preparation will be essential in getting the lads back up to prime fighting weight ahead of their Carabao Cup tie against Bournemouth on 21st December, followed closely by a trip to Leicester for a Premier League clash on Boxing Day.
Newcastle will be looking to build on their impressive start to the season so making sure they whole squad is prepared is absolutely vital.
Sporting Director Dan Ashworth has spoken to The Chronicle on the unique challenges the club faces this season: “We’ve front-loaded the season a little bit, so it’s quite an intensive season for all Premier League clubs with more games than there would have been last year.
“So it’s important to give the players a bit of a break, and then it’s back into almost like a mini pre-season, if you like. So it’s back in reconditioning, some games, and getting the players ready. The majority of it will take place at the training ground.
“League One and League Two don’t have a break. Championship do have a break, although it’s less of a break. It’s not too dissimilar to pre-season, so Championship starts a week before us.”
Of course, not all players will be available for this vital mini-preseason due to their World Cup commitments and that poses a whole set of different problems, Ashworth explains: “What’s complicated it is that some of the players will be at the World Cup, and you don’t know their return date. So if they get to the final, the return date is a week before the Leicester game.
“If those players get knocked out in the group stages, the return date is week three of our break, so could have players dropping in at that stage. Some of them might have played in three of their games, some of them might not have played a minute of the World Cup. They were part of the squad. They’re coming back in different conditions.
“Whichever nations get to the final, if we have players playing for that nation, I think it’s unlikely that they’re going to be available for that cup game. It’s a unique season. It’s part of the challenge.”