What happens in football pre-season? Exploring how soccer stars prepare for new campaigns

The start of pre-season for different clubs and across different leagues will not necessarily be the same. So, depending on the start of the season, it is the training period immediately preceding the regular phase of any competition. Typically, this period lasts between four to six weeks, with the specific duration depending on the league and level of competition.

Most teams are likely to conclude their pre-season camps and/or tours, including playing some club friendlies, about a week or so before coaches begin to tactically prepare for the first competitive game of the season.

A lactate test involves players running at increasing speeds while blood samples are taken from their ears to measure lactate levels, indicating their aerobic and anaerobic thresholds. The test provides valuable insights for coaches and sports scientists, helping them understand a player's ability to sustain high-intensity efforts and recover from them.

The lactate threshold is the point where lactate builds up in the muscles faster than the body can remove it, indicating the transition to anaerobic energy production. Improving a player's lactate threshold can significantly enhance their ability to sustain high-intensity efforts for longer periods, ultimately making them more effective during matches.

However, the traditional lactate test is increasingly being replaced with a 6-Minute Race Test (6MRT) to evaluate players' maximum aerobic speed. In 6MRT, players run as fast as possible for six minutes on a 400-meter track, aiming to cover the maximum distance. This evaluates maximal aerobic speed and aerobic endurance fitness, which is the body's ability to efficiently use oxygen as an energy source.

While both tests allow coaches to evaluate performance and make adjustments to training plans based on individual results, 6MRT is not a direct replacement for lactate testing. Some teams may use both tests, leveraging the lactate test for more detailed physiological information and the 6MRT for a practical, field-based assessment of endurance.

As players return from their breaks, the focus is on assessing their physical and medical readiness. This involves a comprehensive evaluation, starting with blood tests, ECGs, and a musculoskeletal assessment to understand their movement quality. These assessments are completed before they proceed to physiological tests.

Additionally, players undergo scans to identify any genetic predispositions, which are then combined with their past injury history. To align with head injury guidelines and proactively manage injuries, a baseline test is conducted for each player. This helps address any injury prevention concerns before players hit the gym and grass.

Progressive cardiopulmonary exercise tests involve a 15-20 minute session that gradually increases in intensity, culminating in maximal exertion. This test specifically monitors oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production.

All the data gathered from these assessments is crucial for developing future training plans. For returning players, this data provides a valuable comparison to previous seasons, while for new players, it offers a direct comparison to the existing group. This detailed information on individual strengths and deficits allows for the design of bespoke programs that fully support a club's football program.

While players may engage in physical activity to an extent during the break, returning to full training will still require adjustment. Therefore, attention to the warm-up and cool-down elements of each session is non-negotiable for the purpose of injury prevention.

Pre-season training drills focus on building a foundation of fitness, agility, and technical skills. They include strength training (like squats and deadlifts), plyometrics for explosive power, agility exercises (ladder and cone drills), dribbling and shooting drills, and ball mastery exercises, gradually increasing intensity.

Endurance work is also crucial, incorporating various methods like interval training and small-sided games.

Club sides typically play several friendlies before each season, especially towards the end of pre-season. These non-competitive matches are crucial for "warming up" players for competitive games and helping them readjust to a game-day environment.

Camps and tours are excellent opportunities for building team morale while focusing on improving physical conditioning, technical skills, tactical awareness, and team cohesion. Physical conditioning is customised for each player's specific needs and fitness levels, ensuring they are well-prepared for the season's demands. At the same time, incorporating tactical drills can enhance understanding of formations, player positioning, and game strategies, along with various team-building exercises.

During the pre-season, media duties, new season announcements, and kit promotions are crucial for building excitement, engaging fans, and generating revenue.

Clubs host press conferences and unveiling events to formally introduce the squad, often including player introductions, speeches, and entertainment. Additionally, clubs produce their own content showcasing training sessions, team bonding activities, and the overall pre-season atmosphere.

The release of the new season's fixture list is also a significant event, allowing fans to plan their attendance at matches.

Unveiling of the new season's kits is a major marketing opportunity, as clubs frequently organise elaborate launches featuring photo shoots, videos, and social media campaigns. They promote new kits through their online stores, retail outlets, and sometimes at special events.

Finally, pre-season is a crucial time for clubs to announce new or renewed sponsorship deals, which are often linked to the new kit or other branding initiatives.

While the results in club friendlies may matter only for the fans, unless pride is at stake, given the opponent, pre-season is all about getting into the trial-and-error phase of the season. It could be particularly important at this juncture when a new manager has been appointed, in order to adapt to the new boss' style and variations, or to integrate new players into the side. And when little is known about how other sides play, it is an opportunity to work on the philosophy adopted by the club.