Preparation time is usually time very few like. For the fans it means weeks without football while the players have to work hard in training camps. At the moment the Werder players are preparing for...
Preparation time is usually time very few like. For the fans it means weeks without football while the players have to work hard in training camps. At the moment the Werder players are preparing for...
Preparation time is usually time very few like. For the fans it means weeks without football while the players have to work hard in training camps. At the moment the Werder players are preparing for the second half of the season in Belek, Turkey. "Same thing as every year," grinned Werder captain Clemens Fritz. "I certainly would rather be at home but I have been around for a few years now. It's something of a custom for me."
In addition to the three training sessions per day, there is also the work in the weight room and treatment by the physiotherapists. "I won't be getting bored. Time goes by really quick with the three training sessions and there is also a lot to do otherwise," said Fritz. "After the morning session is lunch and then treatment and then I certainly would take a nap for an hour. I used to sleep more but now it's more of just a rest."
At the end of the day the Maxx Royal hotel - the Werder team's headquarters for the duration of the training camp - offers plenty of opportunities to ring out the strenuous days. "There is a bowling lane, a basketball machine and lots more. But I also like to read or play some Playstation together with others," said Fritz. "We talk about it ahead of time who brings the console and then we play randomly. The physiotherapy room is the place to go."
The 30-year-old Fritz is also a contact point because of his captain status. "But that is nothing different for me than in previous years. Certainly the guys come to me when something isn't working. Then we talk about it and I pass it on. But everything is going smoothly at the training camp," said Fritz. "We all understand one another very, very well here and do the things the coach tells us to do. Everyone makes a joke here or there. When the mood is good, then the work is easier."
