Key sponsors back pre-season training camp
Neal Ardley believes that a pre-season training camp in Spain next week will act as perfect preparation for the 2014/15 campaign.
Neal revealed that AFC Wimbledon’s squad will depart for La Manga on Monday and he wished to thank club sponsors Your Golf Travel for part-funding the trip.
Of course, the Dons had a pre-season training camp in Monza, Italy, last year and Neal believes that such trips really help with team bonding, particularly with a new-look squad.
Speaking to Rob Cornell during an update for Dons Player, Neal said: “It’s always good to get the players away together. I know that some teams go away for 10 days or even three weeks and that can be hard for the players. I would not want it to be longer than a week if possible and travelling across too many time zones is far from ideal. I know Louis Van Gaal (new Man United manager) has already spoken out about that. There is a lot of data that shows it’s not ideal preparation.
“For us, it’s only two hours away. I must say a big thank-you to Andrew Harding and Ross Marshall (co-founders at Your Golf Travel). They were trying to help us look for places to go in England, which we may have been able to fit into our budget, but they came up with this and have generously part-sponsored it. Andrew is going to come along too, which is great. It is a great complex with very good facilities. With the heat, we will not be doing 20 sessions in three days. Though we will work them hard, they will be eating and drinking together and it will be about bonding too.”
Dons Player subscribers can watch the full video interview with Neal Ardley on our premium site.