Charlton Athletic boss reveals one Leeds United department he is keen to quiz at Valley on Saturday
BY RICHARD CAWLEY
richard@slpmedia.co.uk
Lee Bowyer has revealed he might seek out Leeds’ sports science team on Saturday to find out more on how they achieve their fitness levels.
The Charlton Athletic manager takes pride in the conditioning of his side but reckons Marcelo Bielsa’s table-toppers are on a level above.
Bowyer, a fierce competitor in the Leeds midfield during their Champions League heyday, has not seen the documentary which followed the club last season – Take Me Home – which is on Amazon Prime.
Leeds were one of the promotion pacesetters but fell away in the closing run. They eventually lost in a Championship play-off semi-final against Derby.
“I’d say that we’re fit but their lads….I’d love to know what they do pre-season,” said the Addicks boss. “Because you could see on Saturday that their energy level are unbelievable – they break on you so quickly but then are back into shape just so quickly.
“It’s crazy how they are sprinting all the way there and then all the way back. Going forward they are frightening to watch.
“Maybe I’ll even talk to their sports science, I’m guessing they play a big part in it. I do know last season they got a lot of injuries towards the end of it and that is maybe why.
“When I was at Leeds we were the same, we were machines. And we picked up injuries towards the end as well. We’d get a lot of hernias back in those days and that purely comes down to the fact you are pushing yourself every game – running yourself into the ground. The effect that has is you pick up injuries.
“They should have gone up last season, everyone knows that. How they didn’t beat Derby I don’t know. Swansea was the same – they should have beaten Swansea. They just create so many chances.
PICTURE BY KEITH GILLARD
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