First team fly out to Dubai for mid-season break
21/02/2016 61 Comments [Jump to last]
Everton's players will spend the next few days in the Middle East at a warm-weather training camp.
The squad had 10 days off before the next match against Aston Villa on 1st March so have jetted out to Dubai today for a break that Roberto Martinez says will be geared differently for certain players.
"I think it is vital," he told evertonfc.com. "In a 10-month season you need time to refocus and regenerate and this will give us time to do that ahead of the final part of the campaign.
"We are going to treat the trip differently for different individuals. Some can shut down a little bit more than others who need work.
"For example, I think Oumar Niasse will benefit immensely from being able to train two or three times per day, while also getting to know the rest of the group more.
"Mo Besic, who is in the last stages of his recovery, and the other injured players will also get a lot from it."
Reader Comments (61)
It's a hard nuff life.......
Jason Heng
He said the same thing a year ago. They came back just as poor.
Kevin Elliott
Too right, Brian...
The name Riley springs to mind.
It must be really tough kicking a ball for a living not like being a doc or nurse in A&E. Sick.
Gerard Carey
Poor pets probably need a break, kicking that hard ball around for 90 minutes every week!!!
Barry Pearce
They live in an unreal world.
Jack Cross
If it benefits the team, you don't mind.
Why not go somewhere somewhat colder. Similar to what they have to perform in each week. I mean you don't need sun to relax.
Let's hope it has a positive effect on results and not the opposite.
It's a hard life for millionaires, isn't it?
Charlie Burnett
10 Posted 21/02/2016 at 18:23:08
I don't think they deserve it. If Leicester win the league, their chairman said he would be taking the whole squad to Las Vegas as a treat. We treat our squad half way through when we're sitting mid table. Or is this a bonding time because there is a problem in the squad?
Rahman Talib
I live in Dubai. Think they'll let me see them?
Colin Leckey
"It is vital" in order "to refocus and regenerate". Gonna try that argument at work tomorrow. How d'you think it'll go down?
Paul Kossoff
Considering what's going on in the Middle East, Dubai would bee one of the last places I would go to. We don't play in hot weather, we play in England.
I think teams going out there is more to do with the corporate side of clubs and is fuck all to do with this mysterious benefit to players fitness and mentality.
Les Martin
Makes total sense in what Roberto says. I hope they return fit, well and recharged for that final push.
Shame I could not carry their luggage!
Why Dubai? There's places all over the States they could train and relax, both.
Jesus, let's not take an opportunity to bring the lads to a country where they're known and respected and would DEFINITELY get press coverage. No, let's go to fucking Dubai.
Darren Hind
I think they heard a speech by Donald Trump and decided Dubai was a better bet...
Brent Stephens
We'd only take them to the US of A if we were being taken over by our American cousins.
Darren - Good one. Trump is something. Always has been.
They should have come over here. Different thing in the Spring, when many other big clubs come over to plant their flag. Combine that with the fact, soccer fans here well-know Roberto as a pundit from the Euros when he was at Wigan and the last World Cup.
Given his attraction to microphones and TV cameras, Roberto would have been on the TV at every opportunity, which could only be good for EFC's profile over here.
But, hey, what's the States when sunny Dubai beckons.
Tony Dunn
Muscles and bodies work better when they are warmed up; it's why we do a warm-up... So going somewhere warm is beneficial, it's why boxers go to the Canaries for example.
Sorry to be positive on here but ffs stop finding things wrong all the time and get yourselves a girlfriend, boyfriend or hobby and stop finding fault.
I believe in the "project" – not short termism; we're not a sacking manager club, despite what you're force-fed by the tabloids or TalkSport. Smile, enjoy life... it can be Phenomenal!
One or two definitely need a break.
Victor Jones
Think that (after one of these jaunts) last season, we ended that terrible run of shite that we had to all suffer over the Christmas and New Year period. We gave West Ham a proper game in the cup. And then beat Palace. We just about scrambled to league safety.
But it did not last; we then slumped again in the last few games. So did the break actually work... Who knows???
We would be better off sending Martinez away to finish his coaching badge.... what's that you say? He has his coaching badges. You could have fooled me!!! Well send him away to maybe learn a Plan B... or even a Plan C. Or maybe just make him listen to a few senior players. Baines springs to mind. Maybe Jags and Barry. How about Big Duncan Ferguson?
Everton had an old motto (I honestly don't know if it still applies to the club today): "Help, not Hinder". Somebody should tell Martinez that. COYBs.
Bill Gall
Did they not go out there part-way through last season and it was too hot to train?
Thank God for Tony Dunn (#18) – I am as miserable as anyone else when we lose and this season has been SO frustrating. I've vented my spleen, sometimes unreasonably, quite often. However, the constant chipping at RM just MUST have a negative effect at some point.
I know full well that there is a section of the fans who have never taken to him, nor probably ever will. But sometimes, the sniping beggars belief. I saw so many negative comments about Saturday's win over Bournemouth that I was shocked.
I have NO doubt that RM wants to get things right and is doing everything in his power to achieve great things. It was never going to be achieved quickly. He needs our full support for at least another 12 months before we really question his position.
Bob Hannigan
Why don't they just turn up the heat in their indoor practice facility at Finch Farm and concentrate on being consistent throughout the remainder of the season?
John Raftery
Tony, Paul, well said. The 10-day break is an opportunity to give the players a change of scene and a few extra training sessions as appropriate. Other clubs do likewise when they have a blank weekend. If our club didn't, there would be moans on this site about the club's tightfisted approach to expenditure.
Colin Glassar
In all fairness to OFM, he used to take them to the Lake District or Rhyl and it seemed to work.
Talking about these overpaid prats, did anyone see Fernandinho showing off his Jimmy Choo's yesterday on MotD whilst messing around in his indoor football pitch? Those shoes cost a bomb.
Rob Hooton
Tony & Paul, I don't know whether I want to hug you or call 3 sets of fellas in white coats. I do think Bob is building a great young team but I am also terrified that it seems it could slip the other way. It's a roller-coaster and let's just hope we don't feel sick when we get off!
We are Everton, do we need to be brave and dare a little. It's squeaky bum time, no matter what!
John Daley
"Why Dubai? There's places all over the States they could train and relax, both......No, let's go to fucking Dubai."
There's places all over the entire fucking world they coud have chosen to go to, James. Why see it as some kind of snub to the States? I don't see anyone from anywhere else taking it personal like:
"They're taking the piss by not coming over to Pontypridd. They could've had a go on the Pitt ponies, wandered into the Dr Who experience, and then crunched along that street comprised of discarded curry and chips cartons, dirty knickers and dog crap. Not any old dog crap either. The classic '80s white kind that you don't really come across anymore. But, nooo, bunch of know-nothing, inconsiderate bellends blow it off and bugger off to Dubai instead. What's that all about???"
I bet you don't get that poo in Dubai, John.
Well earned break.
The lads have been superb all season, always punching above our weight.
Roberto should be given a few extra days rest too, as he has worked his plums off. It's all in the mind you see, thinking all the time about keeping the fans happy, whilst turning out performance after performance.
I can only imagine how hard Roberto must find his life, having to make like-for-like changes each match around the 65th and 75th minute.
Reasons for going to Dubai:
1. It's only a 7 hour flight.
2. It's only a 4 hour time difference.
3. We have about 10 days before we play again.
4. Footballers have a lot of time on their hands and aren't the brightest bunch when it comes to having time to themselves.
5. It's good for team bonding/morale.
6. The weather in the UK is miserable – it's sunny in Dubai.
7. They/Everton can afford it.
Personally I think it's a good idea – we'd all take it if we could wouldn't we? Why not when otherwise they'd be twiddling their thumbs here for a week in the cold.
Phil Walling
At least they won't be out on the piss, will they ?
Eric Myles
James (#29), it's cold here at the moment, only 16°C in the mornings, I need the heater on in the car, and only 25°C during the day.
Weather is supposed to start getting better this week though.
Phil (#30), there's plenty of booze over here.
Garry Corgan
Just so you know, most Premier League squads are on these kinds of breaks right now – many of them in Dubai.
According to a Premier League manager on 5Live this week, they do light training during the week but it's primarily a chance for the players to interact and socialise with each other while out of the media spotlight. He saw it as an invaluable bonding exercise rather than a reward.
Frankly, I couldn't give a toss what they do or where they go if it ultimately improves results.
Eric - I have friend who's there right now and she says it's about 84 degrees......hardly Liverpool in February!
Didn't this happen the other year? When we lost on the next game, we got the excuse they were anticlimatised due to the different weather conditions.
Martin Mason
A night in the York Hotel meat market will do them the world of good.
Jim Bennings
I'd have taken them for a few days to Antarctica and made them all practice their close control and first touch and headers with a snowball...
Seriously though I'd much prefer what Moyes used to do and just work them really hard in the Lakes or Scotland cycling up mountains etc , apparently it got them all ten times fitter.
The worry with warm weather training is sometimes coming back into a cold climate takes a few days getting used to again, and as already stated, it didn't exactly work that much this time last year.
Eugene Ruane
Let me think about this one.
Um...I'm not a millionaire, consequently my life is full of the type of frustrations suffered by non-millionaires the world over.
Now if I just let those frustrations morph into a sort of angry envy...
BASTARDS!!! If they're not killed in The inevitable war of..erm..Dubai, they'll be burnt to death by the sun, the overpaid, spoiled....SHIT-HOUSES!!!
Ahhh, that feels better, you can't whack Toffeevent.
Andrew Ellams
"Footballers with upcoming free weekend go to sunny place" shocker.
Come on, people, this is hardly news or even new.
You can have a pint in Dubai's foreign ghettoes, Phil.
Trevor Lynes
Having worked for five years in Abu Dhabi and having played cricket in Dubai, I can say that it is definitely one of the safest places in the world... far safer than the USA and here. Getting through the USA airports is a nightmare and Dubai is really easy.
However, it is really humid for most of the year and most sportsmen have difficulty working in the climate.Going to Dubai is something that they should play down and not promote as most fans cannot afford these breaks and it seems that players are being pampered for under-performing.
Oumar Niasse in particular must think 'what a job he has got' – free holidays for doing nothing.
Michael Penley
Jones: "What shall we do for this winter's break, gaffer?"
Martinez: "Umm... I don't know. What did we do last year again?"
Jones: "Dubai."
Martinez: "Oh, right... Did it work?"
Jones: "Not really. Don't you remember? We lost to Dynamo Kiev and ended up finishing 11th. It was warm though and the hotel was nice, and there's a pool.
Martinez: "Sounds great. Should we do it again then?"
Jones: "Absolutely.
Tony Abrahams
Ranieri gave his Leicester team the week off. I wonder what the players would have preferred?
Kunal Desai
Better alternative would have been to fly out to somewhere like Spain, still mild weather this time of year and going somewhere like Barcelona they could maybe have used the training facilities around Camp Nou and perhaps evened benefited a little working with perhaps their B team.
Keep out of Chinese Restaurants, put that yellow and black, sticky back warning tape on all the plate glass windows and doors, chain up all them little motor bike thingys
Good point Kunai, Barcelona would've been perfect.
Kunal, it's about time you changed your name to Kunai, so we don't get it wrong (I know that I've been "guilty" in the past!). Maybe time for a separate thread – "Kunal or Kunai"?
Colin "You can have a pint in Dubai's foreign ghettoes".
I've even supped the demon drink with Dubai Govt ministers, in private. Principles versus practice.
Get them to stay in the Winslow for a week, train at GP and be required to eat the GP pies and drink the Chang.
James Kirrane
Martin (34) some of our players might even score in the York Hotel ......then again, maybe not.
Some of the biggest drinkers I've met Brent have been Muslims.
I thought the club was skint?! They should be running up and down Rhyl beach all day, then playing Wrexham in a friendly before returning to the 'Pool ready to finally win a trophy in over 20 long, miserable years!
Should have gone to Rhyl.
James (#33), it was 27°C when I drove home, the warmest it's been since I got here. I didn't need the car heater on and if it keeps getting warmer I may even be able to take my sweater off.
Don Alexander
Paul Roberts at #21, I fully accept that RM is doing everything in his power to get things right. The problem is that seven years of him working his plums off has produced year after year of worsening results for whatever team has had him..............FACT!
Trevor Powell
Re (#20), I would rather see them in the Canaries than in a so-called paradise built on the labour of virtual slaves from the Sub-Continent.
I thought our club was one of the few with scruples so why support yet another institutionally racist gulf country like Qatar and its thousand plus deaths on building the stadiums for the bent World Cup in 2022...
There's my ToffeeVent!
Eric Holland
Could have spent a week visiting local hospitals and job centers.
It might have made them think a little different to life in the fast lane!!
Jesus, with our next game not for ages, Christ knows what the next few days on TW might bring.
Insane venting by the look of it.
"Dubai!? They should all be forced to make shoes from hollowed-out melons and forced to hop all the way Leeds...bollocko!"
"I think Kenya/Peebles/Athens/Jibrovia (name somewhere that isn't Dubai) would have been better"
"With the money they fucking earn, we should be allowed to shoot them all in the face with a nail-gun, then march them to Alder Hey and force them to dance for the nurses in a really gay way"
As for the Jose Baxter thread, I'm scared to look.
"Get hold of the little twat, then fill a bath full of acid and sharks..."
Eugene 57 , hahahaaa quality.
Why does Andy Murray do his conditioning and fitness training in Miami in December? Because adapting to humid conditions help fitness levels in colder temperatures because the body is conditioned to deal with it better.
Although part of me wonders if we're having a warm weather camp in the middle of the season for that reason, why haven't we done it in preseason to build fitness up?
Either way, if it helps us improve results over the last 12 games so we at least finish in the top half then what harm can it do?
Brian Wilkinson
I bet Kone still has his tights and gloves on and moans "it's cold" ... Sorry, could not resist.
Hope they packed their brollies 'cos it's raining now...
Michael Keane