Stoke City are trying to do things differently on the fitness front this year, with a new-look medical department getting high calibre recruits in fitness focus. The medical and sports science department was overhauled at Clayton Wood during the close season, with Damian Roden getting his feet back under the table as head of medical and performance.
What happened?
Mark Robins isn't kidding when he says Stoke City are trying to do things a little differently on the fitness front this year. The medical and sports science department was overhauled at Clayton Wood during the close season, with Damian Roden getting his feet back under the table as head of medical and performance.
Why it matters for Stoke City
The training model has been tweaked and there have been other eye-catching high calibre arrivals, such as Matt Radcliffe – former head of performance at Manchester United – and Mark Sertori, who has been head of performance at Roma, having had a long time working under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City and with the England national team.
What comes next?
Friendlies have been tailored with a view to getting the most out of the approach – although there are still surprises which need further tweaks, like being stuck in Vienna airport for all of last Sunday rather than catching up on time with families. The big idea is that fitness won’t just peak for Day One but be sustained over a long campaign. There is a clamour to get a handle on availability too after the injury storm of last winter.
Stoke City are currently 17th in the Championship, with 55 points from 46 games, and are 40 points behind leaders Coventry. They have scored 51 goals and conceded 56 this season, and their next fixture is away to Sheffield United on February 20, 2027.
The new training building for the first team, which opened earlier this year, has been backed by chairman John Coates to make significant changes behind the scenes. Sporting director Jon Walters has been working closely with Roden to implement these changes, and the team is optimistic about the impact it will have on their performance.
Stoke City manager Mark Robins is pleased with the new-look medical department and believes it will be a key factor in the team's success this season. He said: 'I’m not going to go into what we’re doing differently but you can’t keep doing the same things. On the back of a really disappointing campaign last year something had to change and the sports science-medical department has changed. That department I really like how it’s working. They’re the brains. They’ve been to university and have all the degrees and they’ve worked for 25 or 30 years in senior men’s football and the Premier League as well.'
What do the fans think?
The fans are excited about the new-look medical department and the high calibre recruits that have been brought in. They believe that this will be a key factor in the team's success this season and are optimistic about the impact it will have on their performance.
What's next for Stoke City?
Stoke City will continue to work on their fitness and training methods, with the aim of achieving sustained fitness over the long campaign. They will also be looking to get a handle on availability after the injury storm of last winter.
The team is optimistic about the impact that the new-look medical department will have on their performance, and fans are excited about the new recruits that have been brought in. With the right approach and the right players, Stoke City could be a force to be reckoned with in the Championship this season.
