After a few days of adjustment at the training base, Gao Bo led the team to the sunny Iberian Peninsula.
This year, Gao Bo decided not to stay in England for pre-season training, but instead went to the famous Marbella Football Center in Spain. Besides the fact that the weather here is much more suitable for pre-season training than the rainy England, the more important reason is that the Marbella training base is large enough, and many teams will choose to come here for training, which means that the team can easily find warm-up opponents here.
After arriving in Spain, the team's training truly entered the hellish mode that made the players groan.
Faced with the seemingly increasing training volume day by day, veteran Campbell was a little overwhelmed. The thirty-five-year-old Campbell felt his legs trembling almost every day after training... After all, his age was a factor.
The other players of Luton were still very young. Campbell didn't have much in common with these young players. Instead, he got along better with Kevin Keane, who was about the same age as him.
After a morning training session one day, while walking towards the restaurant, Campbell, walking side by side with Kevin Keane, gently nudged Kevin beside him with his elbow.
"Kevin... was the training volume this high last season?!"
Kevin shrugged: "Otherwise, how do you think we won the FA Cup? We won the FA Cup as a League Two team!"
"But the training volume is too high!!"
"Don't worry, Sol, it's only for these one or two weeks. The training volume is a bit higher during the physical preparation period. After this period, it will be much better when we start training with the ball..."
"Alas... I'm over thirty, my body is not as good as these youngsters..."
Campbell touched his bald head and sighed.
....
The pre-season training was proceeding step by step, but Gao Bo's work was still very busy. The players' daily training conditions and their physical conditions were all compiled into data and presented to Gao Bo. He needed to grasp the team's situation in real time.
The players walked in front, and the coaches followed behind.
"Where did you recruit such a... freak from?!" John had been observing Griezmann during this time.
It must be said that Griezmann had completely conquered everyone in Luton.
In the team's scrimmage, Griezmann scored goals like crazy. No matter which position Gao Bo arranged for him to play in the frontcourt, left winger, right winger, number nine and a half, or even center forward, this kid could always send the ball into the goal.
Flexible figure, excellent foot skills, and outstanding shooting skills!
Gao Bo smiled triumphantly: "You don't have to doubt my vision, John! This kid will surprise everyone!"
"I'm already very surprised now..." John shook his head and said.
In addition to Griezmann, the other new players also performed very well. Alex Sandro's performance at left back brightened the eyes of the coaching staff, and Carl Jenkinson also showed his outstanding talent.
Now it's just waiting for the game to verify their state.
"Have the warm-up opponents been contacted?" Gao Bo asked.
There were quite a few teams coming to this football center for pre-season training, so it was very easy to contact warm-up opponents.
"It's been contacted, Tours, a team from the French Second Division!"
Gao Bo nodded. He didn't really care about the opponent. He needed some warm-up matches to slowly get the players into the feeling of the new season.
...
Campbell was ultimately a little unable to withstand the team's training volume, and he went to Gao Bo.
"Uh.. boss..."
Looking at Gao Bo, who was much younger than himself,
Campbell hesitated for a moment, but decided to call Gao Bo that way like the other players.
"Sol!! How is it, are you adapting well these days!"
Gao Bo was very happy for the players to come to him for communication after training.
"Uh... boss, I think... my training volume is a bit too high." Campbell scratched his head, "If I continue to increase it, I'm worried my knees won't be able to take it."
These days were the team's physical preparation period, so the training volume was increasing day by day, which was no wonder Campbell was worried.
Gao Bo stopped what he was doing.
Campbell had suffered a serious knee injury before, and he was already thirty-five years old. Such a player could not be compared with those young people in terms of physical fitness.
"What if we maintain this amount?"
Gao Bo was not a tyrant, and the training volume was also limited. It was absolutely impossible to increase it without limit - the players were all flesh and blood.
Campbell's face showed an embarrassed expression.
"Don't worry, Sol. The increase in training volume is limited. We will reduce physical training in two days and start increasing training with the ball!" Gao Bo patted Campbell on the shoulder.
"Go back and have a good rest. You will be starting in tomorrow's warm-up match!" Gao Bo said mysteriously: "Maybe you will feel a lot better in the game."
Campbell had no choice but to nod and leave. As for the mysterious smile on Gao Bo's face, he didn't understand it.
However, Gao Bo knew why he had a "mysterious smile."
Because Campbell's experience and ability in the back line were trustworthy. As long as his physical fitness was not a problem, he could be used as a first-class center back!
To solve Campbell's physical problem, Gao Bo naturally thought of the cards.
[Match Card (Green): Physical fitness increased by 15%, specify a player to use!]
Gao Bo still had a hundred lottery opportunities unused, so he didn't feel bad about exchanging a green card.
...
Warm-up matches can be arranged by the two teams.
The game was held at more than three o'clock in the afternoon, in a large stadium at the Marbella training base.
Such a warm-up match could not attract any spectators. Gao Bo sent out his starting lineup in the first half.
It was still the 442 formation of last season.
The goalkeeper was Schmeichel, Gao Bo chose the partnership of Geoffrey and Campbell in the center back position, Alex Sandro was the left back, Mitchell Piran was the right back, the four midfielders from left to right were Adam White, Drinkwater, Kante, and Kevin Keane, and the two forwards at the front were the partnership of Vardy and Griezmann.
When the starting players of Tours Club stood on the field, Gao Bo found that their forward was very familiar.
Isn't this Giroud?
Gao Bo remembered Giroud, who later played for Arsenal. This forward was later ridiculed by fans as a "face-slapping" forward. When you think he is not good, he can always give you surprises, but when you think he is bound to score, he can also surprise you...
In fact, Giroud's ability to hold the ball was still good, and Giroud had also won the Ligue 1 Golden Boot when he was in Ligue 1.
Gao Bo was thinking at this time, maybe he could dig up Giroud, who is not yet famous, from Tours Club?
However, Gao Bo quickly dismissed the idea. There were so many players who would become famous in the future, he couldn't become a young cow collector...
Luton's overall state was not good in the first warm-up match of the new season.
However, Campbell felt that he had a lot more strength out of thin air as soon as he stepped onto the field, and even his running was much lighter.
Could it be that Coach Gao Bo's training was really so effective?
Campbell was a little delighted. He hadn't experienced the feeling of such power constantly generating from his muscles for a long time.
Campbell played very well. He became an iron gate in the back line. No matter what ball came to him, he could always handle it in the most reasonable way.
Gao Bo was also very satisfied, especially with Campbell's performance. If this veteran's physical fitness was not a problem, his experience could definitely raise Luton's defense to a higher level.
He equipped a card for this game, and the purpose was to give Campbell some physical fitness and boost his confidence.
The final result of the game was one to one, with Griezmann and Giroud scoring for their respective teams.
After the game, Gao Bo specifically found Campbell.
"Sol, did you feel a lot better during the game!"