Klopp, Conte methods blasted as ‘from 30 years ago’

Matt Stead

Jurgen Klopp and Antonio Conte’s training methods have been blasted by Raymond Verheijen.

The Dutchman is notorious for criticising the coaching and fitness techniques employed by modern-day coaches, and has previously targeted Mauricio Pochettino, Manchester United and Klopp.

Taking to Twitter, Verheijen, who has also clashed with Arsene Wenger, has attacked the methods of Klopp and Conte, who he claims are ‘destroying players’.

‘In past weeks media reported how intelligent coaches like Conte & Klopp do ‘too much too soon’ with double & triple sessions in pre-season,’ Verheijen tweeted.

‘Coaches destroy players by training too much too soon in pre-season in 3 phases: 1) fatigue phase, 2) injury phase & 3) injury crisis phase.”

The former Wales coach then went on to discuss phase one: Accumulation of fatigue phase.

‘Overtraining players with too many sessions & too short recovery time in between to regain freshness,’ he said. ‘Which Einstein invented 2-3 sessions per day with relatively unfit players just after off-season?

‘As players get tired coaches condition players to play slower & inaccurate football in pre-season.’

Verheijen then moved on to phase two: the injury phase.

‘After being overtrained in first 2 weeks tired players now have to play friendly games which means a high injury risk,’ he said. ‘Overtrained players have lost freshness in first weeks & now have to play friendly games with lower body coordination.

‘Accumulated fatigue results in slower nervous system. Signals from brain to muscles travel slower. Less coordination.

‘Tired players with less body coordination have to make maximum explosive actions in friendly games: high injury risk!’

Finally, phase three – the injury crisis phase – comes into play.

‘After some players got injured in week 3-4 of pre-season coaches can’t stop vicious circle so injury crisis in week 5-6,’ Verheijen posted. ‘Coaches see first few injuries as bad luck so problem is not solved. More injuries follow soon. Vicious circle.

‘As more players get injured exercises get more intensive due to smaller number of players. Even more fatigue! More injuries lead to smaller squad so tired players get even more game minutes. Even more fatigue & injuries.

‘Most teams have almost finished phase 1 (accumulation of fatigue phase) and will enter phase 2 in which first few players will get injured.

‘In about 2 weeks the first teams will enter the ‘Injury crisis phase’ (phase 3). Look forward to all these coaches blaming external factors.’

Verheijen ended his missive by claiming both Klopp and Conte ‘still train like 30 years ago’.