Since taking over the Millwall club in the summer, Aldridge has been busy almost every day, completing a major overhaul of the team within two months, tearing it down and rebuilding a new team.
After the start of the season, he worked diligently to coordinate the training of the first team, especially the tactical drills. Even at night, he would bury himself in the work of studying opponent information, but this was only the work of the first team.
He will also go to watch the home games of the reserve team and the youth team. This is a signal from him as the head coach to the substitute players.
He doesn't want people like Ballack, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Gattuso and others to mistakenly think that buying them to Millwall is just fake money, so Aldridge personally attends the reserve team and youth team home games to let them understand that the club treats them
of importance.
Usually after the game ends, Aldridge will have a brief chat with these players based on their performance during the players' break during training. He does not have long discussions and provides only point-to-point supervision.
It is such subtle efforts that gave Aldridge a very clear position in the players' hearts: head coach!
The next day, he was about to embark on a midweek away league game. Aldridge was wearing a coach's sportswear and discussing things with Jenson on the sidelines of the training field.
"Is it so serious? Six people recommend taking a rest?"
Jenson opened his mouth exaggeratedly, then curled his lips and said: "Is it too exaggerated? Our players seem to be in good physical condition. There have been a lot of games recently, but we must grit our teeth and persevere, and we will play again in the next seven days."
Two games will give you a week's rest."
Aldridge crossed his arms and looked at the players at the training ground, murmuring: "Larson came to report to the team after participating in the World Cup. Trezeguet has been in the UK for less than two months, and Lucas has not yet returned."
Under the age of 18, Pires, Schneider and Makelele have all played the entire game in the past six rounds. Dr. Sampson suggested that they rest, which I think makes sense. You are right, bite
If I grit my teeth and persevere, I might be able to survive two games in the next seven days, but Dr. Sampson convinced me with a metaphor."
"Huh? What metaphor?"
"Spring. The fatigue load of the body is like a spring that is slowly pressed down. If you cannot combine work and rest and take a proper rest, then press the spring down little by little. When it reaches the limit, the force of the spring rebound will be harmful to the body.
The devastation, and each extreme rebound burst will make the spring fragile, and then the next time it is pressed to the limit, the spring may be crushed."
After Aldrich finished speaking, Janson opened his mouth slightly and said in disbelief: "Is he being alarmist?"
Aldridge lowered his head and smiled: "He is an expert in sports medicine. If you don't listen to him, who should you listen to? Besides, I said, he has convinced me. In the long run, I also hope that the players can have a healthier
A longer career.”
Jenson understood that Aldrich had made up his mind, he frowned and said: "If the six main players don't play, the substitute players will be fine, but Makelele's position, I'm afraid Vieira..."
Jenson's mind is already turning rapidly. The two forwards can be replaced by Phillips and Solskjaer from the substitute lineup. The two wings include Grenjaer and Beckham. The full-backs can play Gianluca Zambrotta.
It's just that in the key defensive position of the midfielder, neither Vieira nor Gattuso can replace Makelele, who is stable and efficient.
"Don't think about it. Instead of using half the main team and half the substitute lineup, I would rather play all the substitutes. The main eleven stay in London for the holidays. Tomorrow we will bring the substitute lineup to visit Tranmere. Oh, if the substitute list is not enough, we will start from
Let’s send two or three people from the reserve team to come up.”
Jenson looked at Aldrich in surprise, this young marshal really did something unexpected!
If a few main players need to take a rest, then all the main players should be taken off the job!
However, Jenson suddenly understood and agreed with Aldrich's approach.
The entire first-team players have only been training together for less than two months. The main lineup and the substitute lineup are also clearly separated in training, and the group cooperation has different tacit understandings.
Let Vieira and Nedved suddenly combine to form a new midfielder, which may not be equal to or greater than the effect of one plus one.
As a bridge between the midfield and the frontcourt, Nedvěd may not be able to form a tacit understanding of passing and receiving with Beckham and Grenjar.
Rather than going to away games with a series of uncertainties, it is better to let the substitutes train, lest a large-scale rotation makes the remaining half of the substitutes dissatisfied.
When the time comes, the players will be depressed on the court. If they can't win again, why bother asking for trouble?
Jensen deeply admired Aldridge's courage and ease. Every point in the league must be fought for, but Aldridge really didn't seem to value points.
Looking at Aldridge's back walking to the training ground, Jensen sighed in his heart: Maybe it's like you said, after these players mature, the password to victory will naturally be in their hands.
The morning training was coming to an end. Aldridge came to the training ground and clapped his hands, calling the players in front of him. Seeing the players sweating like rain on their bodies, Aldridge spoke softly.
"The eleven players who started the last league game will not come to train in the afternoon. You will stay in the hotel. Dr. Thompson will arrange for you to conduct recovery training in the afternoon. Also, you will have a day off tomorrow. The remaining players will come as usual in the afternoon.
Here, I will announce tomorrow’s starting lineup and tactical arrangements in the afternoon. Do you have any questions?”
The players were a little confused after hearing this.
Southgate wondered: "Boss, aren't we going to the away game tomorrow? Not even going to the venue?"
Aldrich smiled and said: "Well, Dr. Thompson suggested that you rest, so I will give you a holiday. You can spend time with your family and go shopping with friends. But I hope you understand that the holiday is to allow you to recover from physical fatigue.
Rather than asking you to indulge, we will still have the league in five days. If any of you cannot recover to the satisfaction of Dr. Sampson, please go and sit on the bench."
Earlier, when they heard that they were going to the hotel to see Dr. Thompson in the afternoon, the main eleven were secretly happy.
They like Dr. Thompson very much because the doctor will arrange masseurs to give them muscle massages, which makes them feel extremely comfortable. In addition, they can also take a bath or swim in the hotel, which is really comfortable.
Perhaps the only thing that dissatisfied the players at the hotel where the team stayed for training was the bland food.
However, upon hearing that they had a holiday tomorrow, the main eleven were reflexively startled, thinking that Aldrich was dissatisfied with the fact that they had only managed one victory in the past three games.
But after listening to Aldrich's words, they suddenly realized that this was a combination of work and rest.
Even though the main goalkeeper Keller, midfielder Nedved and Southgate all feel that their physical fitness is fine, but considering the 46-round schedule of the English League One, they all accepted Aldridge's arrangement.
As for the original substitute players, they were overjoyed. There was no match between the reserve team and the youth team in the middle of the week, so they could only train harder. Unexpectedly, happiness came so suddenly, and they were actually going to play in the official English League One game tomorrow!
Although they have played in both rounds of the League Cup, their opponents are all third- and fourth-level teams. In terms of strength, the opponents in the English League are more challenging. They are eager to try and show their strength in the English League.
Fan, tell the head coach that they are no worse than the main eleven and have the strength to occupy a place in the English League One.
After the team disbanded, they went back to the hotel collectively, had lunch and took a nap. After arriving at the training ground in the afternoon, Aldridge realized that he had neglected something after being reminded by Jensen.
Who will be Millwall's captain for the away game tomorrow?
Aldrich then remembered: the three captains of the team are all in the main lineup.
In the previous two rounds of the League Cup, Millwall's on-field captain was Solskjaer. At least he was a substitute for the main lineup, and no one in the substitute lineup could question his qualifications.
But cup matches are different from league games after all, and with this substitute lineup, it is very likely that they will be on the English League One stage again in the future with a tight schedule. They need a captain who is different from a temporary captain and a real team leader.
Only 15 first-team players came to the training ground in the afternoon, and the other 11 stayed in the hotel.
They stood on the training field full of energy, waiting for Aldridge to arrange the afternoon training. More importantly, they were looking forward to Aldridge arranging tactics for tomorrow's game.
But they found the head coach pacing back and forth in front of them after he came to the training ground.
The players' eyes swayed from left to right, and from right to left again. They were so anxious that their eyes were on fire!
Old Aldrich was pacing back and forth endlessly, lowering his head slightly as if thinking about military matters.
Among these eleven, the first-team substitutes were first eliminated by Aldridge, Dean Richards, Gianluca Zambrotta, Butt, Ballack, Solskjaer, Phillips, and Grenchar.
Because these substitutes are likely to be added to the main lineup due to injuries to the main players, they may not be on the field when the substitute lineup rotates for games.
There are not many options left. Beckham and Neville were directly eliminated, and then only Vieira and Materazzi were left.
Aldridge suddenly stopped, took out the captain's armband from his pocket, and walked up to the tall man Materazzi. Under the confused look in his eyes, Aldridge threw the captain's armband to him.
Materazzi took over the captain's armband in surprise and said confusedly: "Boss? Huh?"
He glanced at Solskjaer at the same time. In the previous League Cup, Solskjaer was the captain. Why is it in his hands now?
Aldridge said casually: "If the main forward is injured or suspended, Ole will definitely be the first choice to replace him. Therefore, as a substitute lineup, you need a new captain, Marco. From today on, you are the team leader."
As the fourth captain, I don’t ask you whether you are qualified, but you can tell me whether you are willing or not and whether you can perform the duties of captain well?"
The young Materazzi has very distinctive characteristics, he is fierce and violent, and his physical fitness as a central defender is nothing to say. In addition, he started practicing in the Italian regional league at a very young age and climbed up step by step. His strength is obvious to all. The only shortcoming is
, I’m afraid it’s all about temper and speed.
Aldridge hopes that Materazzi, who will become captain, can be more stable and dignified. As long as he has the idea of taking team responsibility as the top priority in his mind, it will be a good help for his growth.
Materazzi grinned, put the captain's armband into his pocket rudely, and smiled at the teammates around him: "From today on, I am the captain. If any of you are lazy in training and don't work hard on the field,
I’ll beat whoever it is!”
There was laughter all around, and Aldrich laughed too.
