West Ham United’s Rush Green Training Ground was a hive of excitement and activity as members of the first-team squad returned for the first day of pre-season on Thursday.
Senior players who were not involved in international football during the summer underwent screening and scanning as head of medical services Richard Collinge and his staff checked the health of each player and set their data benchmarks for the coming season.
The likes of UEFA Europa Conference League goalscoring hero Jarrod Bowen, Pablo Fornals, Emerson Palmieri, Kurt Zouma and Angelo Ogbonna, who signed a new contract with the Club this week, were among the names to undergo testing across a busy morning at the training ground.
Handshakes, embraces, and laughter once again filled the corridors and dining room at Rush Green as the squad shared stories from their respective off-seasons, with Bowen returning to training for the first time since the birth of his twin daughters and Fornals stepping back into work as a married man, following his wedding last month.
The involved players underwent cardiac checks, concussion tests, and a general physiotherapy screening before getting down to work in the gym. After lunch, the players then took to the pitches at Rush Green for a first training session of the 2023/24 campaign; one that will once again see West Ham play in Europe in the UEFA Europa League.
Collinge said: “The first day back is always an important day as it allows us to get our baseline data for the season ahead, which we can then refer to throughout the campaign.
“If a player were to get injured, for example, we want to make sure that he comes back and he is surpassing that data. Or, if there is anything that is flagged today, it acts like an early-warning detection system for us. It provides us with the data so we can address potential issues that before it leads to injury. That informative data is the benchmark for us throughout the season.
“We want to make sure the players are coming back in good condition. We check the body weight, the body fat, and the general condition of the player. We’re a Club that promotes athleticism and a good culture.”
While each player rightfully and deservedly enjoyed a period of rest throughout their summer, the squad still followed carefully constructed off-season training plans to ensure they returned to Rush Green in the best possible condition.
“Work throughout the off-season is vital,” Collinge continued. “We want to make sure we get the balance right in terms of rest and recuperation, and that’s from both a physical and mental perspective.
“We had the high of the win in Prague four weeks ago and we all took a few days to come down from that. And we want our players and staff to relax for a few days after that so when we come in for our first day, everyone is fresh and eager to go again.
“The lads have all had off-season plans to adhere to, but we need to make sure we’re considerate of each individual’s situation, such as those on international duty.
“The intensity that the guys train and play at nowadays is on a different level. Add into the travel and international calendars too, and you have to find the balance between rest, recovery and the work itself. We know that the guys have to hit the ground running on day one.”
The Hammers will face National League side Boreham Wood in our first match of a pre-season schedule on Monday, before manager David Moyes and his squad head Down Under for a tour of Australia.
Welcome back lads ⚒️ pic.twitter.com/nGQvYsYkdI
— West Ham United (@WestHam) July 6, 2023
There, the Irons will play against A-League side Perth Glory before a London derby against Tottenham Hotspur a few days later.
Collinge explained the unique challenges the medical team are planning for that come with a pre-season tour so far from home.
“We’re planning ahead for the trip to Australia as well. We’re looking at our timings for things such as food timings and dimming the lights when we’re on the plane over, because we want to make sure we get the balance right for sleep while we’re crossing time zones.
“We’re always trying to be ahead of the curve and we’re always, as a medical and sports science team, planning and preparing to ensure our players are the best athletes they can be.
“The reassuring thing is that we’ve had continuity over the last few seasons. The players know our expectations as a staff, and the manager’s expectation of the group for this stage of the season. In essence, it never stops.
“We’re always spinning plates and, as ever, it’s always busy for us, but we’re really pleased with the athleticism of the group here.”
West Ham’s senior internationals will return to training in mid-July as manager Moyes gives the absent players an opportunity to recharge both body and mind ahead of a campaign that will again see the Club compete in four competitions.
