Hammers hold first training session

Manuel Pellegrini and his backroom staff have put the Hammers through their paces for the first time in Switzerland on Tuesday morning. Having arrived in the Alpine nation on Monday evening, the players took to the training pitch at the home of local Swiss 3. Liga club FC Bad Ragaz.

Pellegrini gathered the 30-man group together for a five-minute introductory talk before the players set off for a warm-up run. Assistant coach Ruben Cousillas, second assistant Enzo Maresca, fitness coach Jose Cabello and assistant fitness coach Felix Cao put on a circuit of drills, with and without the ball, to build up the players’ fitness levels. Meanwhile, goalkeeper coach Xavi Valero took Adrian and young stoppers Nathan Trott, Joseph Anang and Daniel Jinadu for a specialist session to work on their footwork, distribution and handling skills.

The 90-minute session was completed with an eleven-a-side training match, on a one-third size pitch. To begin with, the players were allowed just one touch, further testing their technical and movement skills.

The ‘non-bibs’ beat the ‘yellow bibs’ 2-0, with well-taken goals from Jordan Hugill and Declan Rice.

Physiotherapist Dominic Rogan worked with Winston Reid, who is continuing his rehabilitation from the knee surgery while rehab fitness coach Eamon Swift did individual work with Michail Antonio, who suffered a hamstring injury.

Throughout the entire session, the players’ physical output was measured using GPS tracking, allowing the staff to monitor distance covered, sprints made, top speed and average speed. The Hammers will hold another single session on Wednesday morning before upping the intensity of training with triple sessions on Thursday and Friday ahead of their opening pre-season fixture with Challenge League club FC Winterthur on Sunday afternoon.