Fanchini: We are capable of safely returning to training

For Maurizio Fanchini, the club's Head of Performance, the current lockdown has created a number of unique challenges.

As he oversees - from a distance - the fitness of first-team players, we spoke to Fanchini to learn more about how that process has unfolded, and what he thinks the next steps should be now that some of the lockdown measures are beginning to be lifted.

Here is what he had to say...

How did you react to react to the suspension of all activities as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic?

“It all happened right in the middle of our season, when we were preparing for the away leg of our Europa League last-16 clash. The last time we had a training session with a good level of intensity was on 9 March, because the match against Sevilla was scheduled for 12 March. On 11 March, the game was called off so we gave the players a few days off. We’ve been working remotely since the European competitions were called off too, but we weren’t caught completely by surprise.”

Were you already prepared for a complete suspension of football?

“Obviously we were reading the news and were aware of what was happening, especially in the north of the country, so we set about preparing for a total lockdown in Italy. On 16 March, we sent the players a programme for them to follow remotely and set up a system which allows us to keep tabs on as many factors as possible.”

How complicated was it to create remote programmes for the players?

“Not particularly – you work in the same way you do during the winter break. We send the players programmes and use technology to gather data then too. Our club has good resources and is very advanced from that point of view.

"We sent the players exercise bikes, gym equipment and heartrate monitors which log their activity in an app. That data is sent to a software that we can monitor online. We’ve kept the same data collection standards that we’d usually have here in Trigoria, sending questionnaires to the players in order to assess the training workload.”

What exactly do the players have to do to send you their data?

“Every morning they weigh themselves and send a photo to our nutritionist, who logs the data in the club’s IT system. As the players train, the heartrate monitors log cardiac exertion, and at the end of each session we assess the effort level by submitting questions for the players to answer. Obviously it’s a different level of exertion compared to what they’re used to on the pitch, because there’s a difference between pedalling on a bike and running.”

Have you produced individual plan for each player?

“First of all, we split the squad into two groups. The first group contained players that needed to recover from an injury or who were about to return to action after a period on the sidelines. They’re working with our physiotherapists and our athletic trainers, who keep in touch via videocalls and have a daily checklist. In terms of the rest of the players, we split them into another two groups, one overseen by myself and the other coordinated by my colleague Nuno Romano. We are aligned on what everyone needs to do.

“We decided what type of work needed to be done based on individual demands. We’ve taken advantage of the pause to focus on a few of the issues we’d seen during the season but that we’d not been able to fully explore as a result of the packed schedule of matches.”

So this period has allowed you to focus on aspects that you’d otherwise not be able to deal with during the season?

“Not having a match every three days, we’ve had the chance to try and take a closer look at muscle conditioning, which isn’t so viable when you’re coming off the back of high-tempo matches.

"We took a gradual approach with all the players, increasing the load from day to day. We listened to the feedback from the technology and the questionnaires that all the players fill out after every training session. Obviously, there is always going to be some loss of fitness, with no running and specific training exercises. But we’re trying to limit the impact of that through this work.”

Have you provided the players with psychological support?

“Professional athletes are used to being away from home a lot – for training, travel and matches. As a result, we had to include additional measures. As with the general public, being shut up at home might cause problems for footballers. We created a psychological and physical questionnaire designed to monitor these issues – this was extended to the women’s and Primavera teams too.

“We collect the data every two weeks, because this is an extraordinary situation and we need to keep a close eye on everything. We also have regular videocalls with the players, not just to check up on the work they’re doing, but also to keep them motivated and nurture the group spirit.”

In addition to weighing themselves every day, do the players have any other dietary checks?

“Yes, they have to follow the same plans as before. Our nutritionist has updated the dietary plans for the players, adjusting them to account for the current issues – everything is done individually. When we sent out training equipment, we also provided the players with supplements selected by our medical team.”

How has the work the players are doing evolved as the lockdown has continued?

“Even though in the early days people were still able to go running in Rome, given that the parks weren’t yet closed, we advised the players not to go out. There was still a chance of infection associated with that type of exercise, plus some of the steep roads could have caused an injury. If that happened, we would have had to have used a hospital for a diagnosis or for treatment, at a time in which our medical facilities had much more important things to think about. When the whole of Italy went into lockdown and outdoor exercise was banned, our players had already been working in that way for days.”

Is running the thing that the players miss the most?

“Definitely. They’re used to a certain type of movement and recently we’ve started trying to get them back into the habit of doing various things. The players are doing running exercises at home, in their gardens or on their balconies, that incorporate changes of direction, in order to get them back into the habit of doing what they’ll be doing when they get back out on the pitch. But it’s not the same.”

How have the players reacted to your input during this time?

“Very well. It’s a strange situation for everyone. Some of them are with their families, but others are alone at home. We have an amazing group, though, and the levels of dedication are very high. They’re all very engaged with the remote training programme – they send in their data and actively participate. The coach has always been very constant in his message: we don’t know when we’ll be back, but let’s be ready for all eventualities. That’s how we’ve been working as staff.”

Phase two begins in Italy on Monday. What kind of opportunity does that represent for the players?

“It’s a chance to resume individual running and get back to some exercises that have been missing for a long time. Running on a pitch is different to running on a balcony at home or down a corridor. For the players you need to set a high intensity and maintain a pace of 18-20 km/h. That’s an important factor that we’ll need to work on when individual exercise is permitted again.”

How long will it take to return to pre-lockdown fitness levels?

“This period might seem similar to the end of the season, but if you look at it closely, there are some significant differences. First of all, when players stop training in mid-May, they already have many months of work behind them, whereas we stopped in March.

“During the summer, players go on holiday, stop training and focus on recovering their physical and mental energy. Many of them follow training programmes, which include standard running. In pre-season, you get five to six weeks’ worth of work, whereas in this case – if all goes well – we’ll have four weeks after a period in which we’ve been trying to maintain fitness while at home, in a state of uncertainty.

"If we then go back to playing every three days, we’ll have a lot of work ahead of us without much time to get ourselves ready. The earlier we get started, even if that means working individually, the better it is. First and foremost it’s about preventing injury – it’s not just about performance.”

What would be the ideal way to get going again?

“We think it would involve returning to the training centre, where we are perfectly equipped to maintain safety standards. We have very spacious facilities in Trigoria, renovated and upgraded in recent years, and it will be possible to ensure distancing. There are three grass pitches and one synthetic pitch. Our medical department has prepared protocols which will enable us to resume individual activity in total safety.”

Why does it make more sense to train in Trigoria than outside in a park?

“There are several reasons. Think about how many people there are out and about. Anyone could go up to a player, even if just to say hello. That entails a risk of infection for the general public and for the players. It would be a big risk because putting a public figure in a park would increase the difficulty involved in respecting social distancing.

“The authorities would be needed to maintain safety and prevent people from getting too close to each other, but right now I don’t think it’s right to burden them with that task. And that’s without even mentioning the risk of injury – parks have uneven ground and asphalt.”

How will you ensure social distancing between players at the training ground?

“We could have the players come in groups. We have three grass pitches, so that would mean having a maximum of three players on the same pitch at any one time. They would be kept apart. Each player has their own room, so they could shower there.

“Our training ground is closed off and monitored and access would only be permitted to the small group of players and staff that need to be there for work at that particular moment in time – it would be very clear cut.”

And this would mean it would be safe for the players to start playing football again?

“I don’t know what the situation is at other clubs, but I think that with a bit of organisation we can ensure controlled individual training. It’s better to do this at training grounds, whether it’s Serie A or Serie C.

"It’s better to use our own facilities, where we can monitor access and divide people up into groups in order to keep everyone safe.”