Fitter Cutters set to ruffle Magpies
INNISFAIL United’s premier men’s coach is delivering on his promise of a faster and fitter side for 2019 as players prepare for the first pre-season friendly next weekend.
The Cutters ticked off a wet weather training session on Tuesday night and will have two more sessions before next Saturday’s NPL curtain-raiser and pre-season friendly against Magpies in Mackay.
Coach John Salogni said improvements were already being seen in players after five weeks of pre-season training.
“We’ve improved in our speed and agility; we’re a quicker side,” Salogni said.
“We’re starting to get sharper in seeing the pass, and we’ve been working on our strength and conditioning and quick thinking and also added a bit of plyometrics training, too. In week one, we had eight of them vomit, so they’re a lot fitter now.”
The Cutters side that travels to Mackay will include reserve grade and youth players in an extended squad and Salogni hopes the weekend will improve team cohesion.
“I want them to jell,” he said. “I need them to come together as a side; introducing stuff like set pieces is a lot eas- ier because they start to talk, they start to move and they become confident with each other.
“That’s what friendlies are all about; to see what combinations we can get and how we can get them.”
The former Cairns FC goalkeeping coach said he was expecting a tough match.
“I know nothing about this Mackay side,” he said. “I don’t expect it to be an easy game.”