Allamby is key to realising Parky’s Sunderland vision
proach to preparation.
“He’s a big believer in what we do, that’s the basis of [our relationship],” said Allamby.
“You can have all the support staff you want, but if the manager doesn’t believe in what you do then you cannot do your job.
“I’ve been in positions where I’ve been with managers that put less emphasis on what we do, and that affects what you can and can’t do. He trusts in what we do.
“I think that, you once had your fitness coaches or your sports science team, and it would be ‘we’re doing this with the football and then you do your bit’.
“It was very much two separate camps but now it’s much more integrated so you work as a team.
“What Phil does is allow it to be a much more holistic regime, if you like.”
As Allamby explains, players are as much athletes as footballers in the modern era, the game scientifically proven to be quicker and more demanding physically.
It’s particularly key for
Parkinson, who has stressed the need for high work-rate and athleticism wherever he has managed.
A number of areas at the club have been identified as needing rebuilding and strengthening, and Parkinson quickly identified this as one.
Allamby will work closely with the existing staff, boosting expertise in a department Parkinson believes to be key.
“It comes down to what you do on the training field and unfortunately he’s not had much time to do that,” Allamby says.
“That’s part of this league, I suppose, when you’re Saturday-Tuesday, SaturdayTuesday.
“But that’s part of how I help support them. It’s not just about play, recover - are there certain other things we can do?
“It’s just making sure that the balance between training and recovery is right.
“Then you have to make sure the players buy into what you want to do.
“It’s a 24-hour job for the players. He has a demanding way of playing that has a high physical output and high physical requirements.
“There are demands on the players with the physical parameters that they are expected to hit.
“I haven’t had a chance to fully ascertain where these lads are in terms of whether they can physically do it, but I know quite a few of these players from having been around this league and the one above in the last few years, so there is definitely a core of players that can.
“But it comes down to the manager demands that they have to cover certain physical parameters in a game to make what he wants to do achievable.”