No time was wasted in getting key messages across on the first day of Manchester United’s pre-season at Carrington.
Ruben Amorim arrived back at our training ground on Friday.
Five weeks or so on from completing the post-season tour of Asia, he was reunited with the majority of the players early on Monday morning, all knowing they had a long, but fruitful day ahead.
“I think, for most of us, you switch off completely for the first two weeks and relax,”
said one, “but then you’re chomping at the bit to go again.”
It was an 8am arrival, under grey Mancunian skies, but Amad’s smile and brightly coloured adidas x Glastonbury Festival shirt lit up everyone’s morning until the sun soon came forcefully out.
With some meeting in the car park and catching up on the way, the players headed into the dressing room and picked up their new training kit.
“It’s like the first day back at school,”
one commented, but homework books v new United kit — which would you rather pick up? It’s an easy answer. They, like we all would, still get a buzz out of donning that new gear.
Upstairs, the players happily reunited with canteen staff over breakfast before a short meeting with the coaching and medical staff to outline the day’s exact activities.
First up, physical testing, on a series of machines and stations designed to establish a baseline of flexibility, muscle strength and joint range of movement. It can be competitive, with players pushing each other to go harder. It’s good to watch.
There's a modern version of the machine seen in a famous clip of Roy Keane, returning from a knee injury, with gritted teeth and scrunched-up eyes, desperate to prove his strength as he aimed for a quick comeback.
As seen back then, it’s a key tool in rehabilitation, but in pre-season, the players undergo a series of tests on that machine which isolate their muscles with the aim of injury prevention.
Once the players completed those tests, training began on immaculate grass, under both bright sunshine and the instruction of a coaching staff looking rejuvenated in fresh white training gear. Ruben brought the energy just as much as his players.
Competing in a rondo with the younger group — made up of Amad, Tyler Fredricson, Shea Lacey, Diego Leon, Bendito Mantato and Reece Munro — the boss got stuck in and ensured the standard was high. Alongside the Academy players, who have had these training opportunities before, Leon looked eager to impress, showing a great intensity which earned a big beam from Amorim.
Players often look back on their first day of training at United and recall the intensity and quality - and this was an intense session. Ruben made an effort to use some Spanish phrases with Leon, too. The Paraguayan full-back is making good strides in his English, but will have appreciated that.
Leon and fellow new signing Matheus Cunha appeared to settle in quickly, with the latter’s finishing impressing. He already seemed at ease with his new teammates.
After the rondos, the session progressed to tactical instruction on the full-sized pitch. This, after all, is what the players and coaching staff have clearly been waiting for: time to work, to learn, and to improve. That was at a serious premium last season with such a packed schedule, but now Ruben has a full pre-season to get his message across with further detail than before. Let’s hope we see the results throughout the coming months.
At the end of a tough session, the players insisted on a few more minutes. They needed to determine which team had ‘won’, with a penalty shoot-out to do so.
Further testing followed lunch, this time with some additional focuses, including vision and dental checks. No stone is left unturned.
Departing late into the afternoon, there was clearly a sense of momentum for what’s to come. Ruben is wasting no time in getting his messages across, and he watched that vigour reflected in his players. It continues on Tuesday.