Training camp in Leogang: Full throttle for 100 minutes

Markus Gisdol prepared part of the team in front of the tactics board after the warm-up had been completed. The other players underwent a training session with coaches Frank Kaspari and Frank Fröhling. The focus was on both defensive movement of the holding midfielders as well as the unfussy nature of attacking play and shots on goal.

Gisdol got involved on the pitch, leaving his players to pass while he controlled defensive positioning. He constantly corrected running routes and distances, giving the players short, detailed explanations in the process. It wasn't a question of meters but centimetres. The success of modern football lies in the detail. Small gaps can make a big difference and Gisdol and his staff worked together on those small details.

The players on the pitch committed fully to it, running through the exercises hard. The pace of the increasingly complex exercises was high. The session finished with an eleven-on-eleven game on a full pitch. The players want to show themselves and work hard during this stage of the season so as to secure a place in the starting eleven.

High tempo attack

Gisdol constantly brought the tactics board with him and pulled the players together in the centre circle. Salihovic, Volland and Co. listened attentively. The staff tried out a number of things, swapped the pair in holding midfield, changed the face of the centre of defence and employed the wingers in a different manner too.

One thing that was clear was something TSG showed at the end of last season. The pace of the game was kept at a high level, the intensity and aggression were clear to see and the playmakers attempted, as often as they could, to attack at a high tempo.

After full throttle for 100 minutes, the players gathered in the shade of the training area to stretch. Ten minutes later, they headed back to the hotel. After lunch, there was a special exercise for the TSG lads: Teambuilding. For a long time, the players had no idea where they were going but soon plans for a climbing trip and a barbeque were revealed.