After watching Andy Murray win the US Open & play 5 tough sets against Djokovic, I started thinking (dangerous I know! ) about how hard it is to win something like a major tennis tournament.
Murray had to play 6 matches in 12 days to win the final, which is a testimony to his fitness and motivation. All of these matches are played at high intensity & there is no time to sit back and get a breather when you are on court. Say Murray is on court on average each time for over 3 hours, although last night was just under 5 hours!!
Imagine a footballer being asked to play 6 matches in 12 days, there would be cries of being hard done by & unfairness. And remember there are substitutes allowed in football......................................
I can remember Spurs once playing 3 games in 4 days over Easter way back in the 60's, this was not uncommon for most teams in those days, now there would be uproar if it was suggested.
Man United even pulled out of the FA Cup to play in the Super Cup, because it would have been too much hard work for the players!
I know the games are different, but the premise is the same....................do we pamper the players too much? A certain North West club will not even allow their players to do simple tasks like changing light bulbs, they send a man round to do it for them as well as other tasks!
Is this why top players feel they are above the law sometimes, their behaviour at times does indicate that.
It would be interesting to hear other fans views on this subject.
Well done Andy, you have had an incredible year..............1st Men's Finalist since 1938 at Wimbledon, Olympic Champion & now 1st Grand Slam title for GB since 1936..........................................................
Football Players Too Soft?
posted on 11/9/12
I suspect that you wouldn't look Nigel De Jong, Vidic or Kompany in the face and call them soft? Tennis is very demanding but then they dont get lumps kicked out of them or elbowed in the face or head butted when going up for a high ball. It's all relative, different sports different demands.
posted on 11/9/12
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posted on 11/9/12
streatham Spur.................................It might indeed be a stupid discussion, but you got involved!
TheresOnlyOneReds.......................The point was not that footballers were soft because of the number of games played, but the whingeing that goes on about them being tired & needing a break.
I know they are very fit indeed, but so are sportsmen in other sports and these often goes unrecognised.
I appreciate we all have a different point of view, and I welcome that.
posted on 11/9/12
Yes but your reasoning for that is that tennis players play six matches in twelve days which isn't comparable.
I know I have watched matches wHerr my team has played twice in a short time and the players physically cant play at the level they're capable of. It's not about being soft, it's about the recovery time of the human body. It's basic sports science.
posted on 11/9/12
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posted on 11/9/12
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posted on 11/9/12
Rooney probably wouldn't be ready, he couldn't manage to get fit for England or man u.
posted on 12/9/12
Just had a look at Liverpool's schedule and many of the players could play six games in eighteen days.
posted on 12/9/12
Gazza................................Tennis players have more than that, they are committed to playing a minimum number of ATP Competitions every year. Their seas is around 7 months long & they do far more travelling than footballers do too.
I am not out to belittle footballers, but for instance how many players can do a 100 metres in 11 seconds, Walcott, Bale, Lennon etc are obvious ones but then others would get nowhere near it.
Murray does this and his time over 400m is around 55seconds which is only 8 seconds outside of the Women's World Record and 12 seconds outside of the Men's WR................................Murray's fitness coach also had him running 10 consecutive 400m with only 85 seconds rest in between each one.
He also has to run 20 sprints over 100m with one run every minute.
Include the fact he bench presses as well as a top flight rugby player & completes (which he hates) set chin ups with a 20kg weight strapped around hi waist.
Out of season he attends a boot camp, trains 6 hours a day.........................................So I think the comparisons v fitness stand up well!!
posted on 12/9/12
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