Harry Redknapp has rubbished claims that David Moyes and his backroom team have suddenly made the Hammers squad a whole lot fitter.
Fans and pundits have been pouring praise onto the new boss and his backroom team but it has drawn fierce anger from the former Hammers boss.
The former Hammers boss claims that it would be almost impossible for the Scot to have got them any fitter than they were but that it is disrespectful to the Croat for such suggestions to be made.
He told BT Sport: “How can you get them fitter than what they were? They play Saturday, midweek, Saturday so you’re not doing a pre-season, you’re not running them and you’re not working them.
“Fitness now is dictated to by fitness coaches and sports scientists more than managers, how has he (Moyes) suddenly in four weeks got them fitter?
“If he took over at the end of the season and you had a different regime and you work them differently (then yes) but you can’t work them (like that mid-season).
“They played on Tuesday this week, now they’re playing today (Saturday), what has he done? They’ve come in and had a warm down on Thursday, he’s done a couple of set pieces on Friday, he’s not getting them fitter, how can he get them fitter?!”
Reads like the ravings of a senile old man.
it has some truth. I don’t think Bilic was so much against fitness ( being a Croation ), but obviously some of the players were against fitness and also working hard on the pitch for their wages. Moyes has stopped that at least for now. How much lomger before the likes of Obiang, Kouyate, Sahko, and others decide to take a prolonged rest again.
It doesn’t surprise me that Moyes is said to be still looking for that defensive midfielder and a CB, as well as a more attacking midfielder. ( they can’t all be to replace Noble )
He might be pleasantly surprised in the end, ( and so will I ) if our previously lazy players permanently turn their backs on reclining on their sofas while we pay them millions.
They might not be fitter but they are putting in more effort. And part of the problem w Bilic was he wouldn’t bring in any extra staff or new staff to help things out.
But we just for a new head of fitness coach Davies. Only coach left from Bilic was GK coach Woods. Lewin head of Phsyio.
They might not be fitter but that are working harder, organised, and seem to really be believing in what Moyes & staff are coaching & doing.
So guess Harry’s statement might have some truth but we are playing like a team now & every players seems to be giving to there all.
And that’s what we wanted to see effort & chnahe & we have.
Moyes & staff have been great for us….
As asenile old man myself & on the basis ‘it takes on every know one’ I tend to agree with Harry. What the figures seem to show is they are running more. I don’t think that is because Moyes has made them fitter- it is just that he has made them more willing to run. As long as they are putting in more effort I don’t care how he is doing it.
Blimey this predictive text. Takes one to know one. Probably just my typing. And the senility….