Your response seemed to be that squad rotation couldn't reduce stamina because they're athletes. Or did I misunderstand?



If that was your point then my response was relevant, in that whether you're an athlete or not your fitness has peaks and troughs related to your training and preparation. The fact that they are athletes does not render Fetlar's point stupid. I think the point might be over-simplistic, but I think there probably is some truth in the theory that there's no fitness like match fitness, so playing less matches could reduce your stamina.



If your point was something else, then my response may well not relate to it.

No, you understood the point, just your example had no relevance at all to it then. There is a difference in peaking for a certain point, and missing the odd match in a 8 month season.



You seriously believe that missing a few matches per season through squad rotation will have an effect on the players stamina come the play offs? That is what Fetlar was saying.



Christ god help Leeds then, considering how many mataches have been missed by players with the injuriess. We better not bring back McGuire, JJB, Delaney, and Bailey then. These missed Challenge cup weekends must be a right bugger for our players stamina. But at least Hull must be a shoe in for the Grand final then.

Gotcha in misunderstood posting shocker





McDermott's squad handling may defy conventional wisdom and see some re-thinking in sport and re-writing of the coaching manuals. My belief is that his approach is all about toughness. Leeds players don't get the easy option of a rest every few weeks. They tough it out. They don't get the easy option of dropping down for a confidence boosting run in the lower leagues if they have a bad game. They tough it out until they turn things around. Leeds players might even find themselves playing long minutes without using a sub, and they'll just have to stick to it and tough it out. There is no easy option.



Perhaps it's all co-incidence, but come September and October, when the weather is a little worse and bodies are aching a little more and some players might even be thinking of an upcoming holiday, our team gets a little tougher and more determined than the opposition.

No, not at all. I did say that the point of view was over-simplistic. There are other factors at play. But no relevance at all? Really? You make a point about athletes being exempt from losses of stamina from aspects of their competition and training schedule, and it is not relevant to point out that athletes are as susceptible to that as anyone else?



I wasn't agreeing with Fetlar, but I was disagreeing with your premise for dismissing the idea as stupid "because they're athletes."



I think personally that Fetlar was wrong, but it's a theory with some viability - and it probably depends on how many matches you're missing. There are problems with it relating to other factors - there's also a balance to strike between being match-fit and being fresh. But McGuire's absence, for example, certainly isn't ideal, and match fitness is an issue there.



There is a difference between missing the odd match in an 8 month season and peaking at the right time. On the other hand, there are clearly competing theories among SL coaches (and forumites) on the role of missing matches in peaking at the right time.

Stamina has both a physical and a mental aspect. The edge Leeds possess is a mix of the two and they have reinforced both through McDermott's unusual selection policy. Their physical and mental toughness develops over the season and this might explain the mysterious disparity between our performances in the Cup and in the play offs...



And yes, I think the severity of injuries to key players during the course of the season will seriously hamper our chances this time around.

Spot on.



Strange and interesting fusion of military and sports psychology, I reckon.

Richie in foot in mouth shocker.



What did my response have to do with McDermott and Leeds?



I said it was stupid to say that squad rotation reduces stamina, that was general, as the comment from Fetlar was general, not related to Leeds. It is stupid. If these players miss a week of playing, they are still training all week, and working to a schedule of fitness. Infact injuries, which are not planned for, is going to effect far more.



So as you agree that rest effects stamina, then how is the missing challenge cup weekends going to effect Leeds?

You would probably draw a bit less fire if you were better at differentiating between "I don't agree with this" and "this is stupid."



While I don't entirely subscribe to the "rest reduces stamina" theory, I suspect that the Leeds coaching staff would rather have not had the CC weekends off, and would certainly rather not have had the injuries. But that's where they are so they'll have to deal with it.

The less fire isn't an issue for me. If you believe that resting a player a few matches a season effects their stamina then you are thick as fook, simple as that.



If that said player was also not training, then I will grant you the argument. But the argument was not that, because if you choose to rotate your squad, you do not also say have a week off mate training and all.



Your argument previously, was on your running and getting to a peak condition for a race. That I agreed on. You are not an athlete looked after by sports conditioners. I know very well, that if I go on holiday, I come back and struggle at the gym in comparison to before I went. But I am not an athlete also.



The stamina for these players is built up from the training they receive in the main, and the continuance of that. Not the match its self. Otherwise like I said, the players we have had out now, could not possibly come back for the play offs.

I commented on your post. I wasn't responding to it. The fact that I didn't quote your post should have been a big clue to that. Nor did I say your post had anything to do with McDermott and Leeds. Your post not having anything to do with McDermott and Leeds does not mean McDermott and Leeds cannot be mentioned in this post. In this case I quoted your original post and am responding to it. Notice the difference?



Your response fails to differentiate between not having a game one weekend and being left out of a game that weekend for a rest.

You obviously think it has a transformative benign effect so welcome to my world





Seriously though, it might be worth cutting out the personal insults. Only because they signify to the whole world that you're wrong and it's just a case of finding out in what way.

Is everything in your world view so black and white?



The injured players can do all the training they want, I promise they'll suffer in their first game back. Match fitness is no myth.



But I suppose as long as the world divides neatly into "agree with Gotcha" and "thick as fook" it will be a simple place.