Thu 29 Jun - Posted in Breaking News
Time to read: 2mins
Chris Baird gave RamsTV an insight into the intense first day of pre-season training that Derby County’s players had to undertake.
The Rams reported back for duty on Wednesday morning, before heading to the University of Derby’s Sports Performance Centre to undertake a number of rigorous tests to gauge their fitness levels.
With footballs nowhere to be seen, Wednesday was all about Gary Rowett seeing whether or not his players had stuck to their off-season training schedules.
Each player was given a unique plan to stick to make sure they were ready to hit the ground running for the start of pre-season.
And there was no hiding place for Baird and co as they were put through their paces.
The 35-year-old former Northern Ireland international said: “All of the players were given a schedule by the staff at the end of the season.
“From that, we had the first couple of weeks off and then the workload started.
“Again, it was progressive and was put in place to make sure we were ready for the first day back. It’s still never easy.
“It was very hard. The tests are never easy, as we know from doing them before we finished last season.
“They were tough then, so doing it again after effectively six or seven weeks off made it a little bit harder.
“There was a lot of treadmill work, where you start at a certain level and continuously work your way up and up in terms of the intensity.
“That, particularly, was a tough ask. To be fair, all the boys have met their targets that they did before they left for summer. It’s good to be back.”
Having made his Northern Ireland debut in 2003, Baird’s summers, over the last 14 years, have largely spent representing his country.
He hung up his boots on the international stage at the end of the 2016 UEFA European Championships in France – meaning this off-season has been the first where he has been able to spend it entirely with his family.
Feeling fully refreshed, Baird is looking forward to getting his teeth stuck into the pre-season schedule that Rowett has got planned ahead of the start of the 2017/18 campaign.
He added: “I can’t wait now. The seven weeks since Rotherham have gone really fast and it was nice to spend it, for the first time in 14 years, with the family.
“I’ve enjoyed it, but we’re back into it now and I’m looking forward to getting started with the games and what this pre-season has to offer.”
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