From the Treatment Room

Head of Medical and Sports Science Stijn Vandenbroucke issues his first update of 2016/17 - in association with Spire Roding Hospital...

Hello everybody,

On Friday, the fun begins again and we meet up at Chadwell Heath training ground, probably for the final time as the new training complex at Rush Green will be ready by August.

We will meet up for a training session, where everyone will get to know everybody again – or for the first time with our new signings – but before then we will do some screening, which is important because we have to do it to play in Europe.

We will do cardio and blood screening and a few other bits and bobs with the players to prepare them to fly to the United States on Saturday.

Friday’s training session will enable the players to loosen their muscles before they make a long journey to Seattle.

We have a company coming in to measure the players for their compression socks, which will be made and delivered to us at the airport on Saturday.

As a Medical and Sports science team, we have not made any new signings over the summer, so we retain a strong and ambitious team.

We will take a very good backroom team to the United States, and the days of having different departments are gone – we are now a family, with a great atmosphere which Slaven Bilic has helped to create.

We work closely with each other at all times, whether that be the medical department, the kit man, the chef or the communications department, who will all be working hard alongside the players and coaching staff in the United States.

When we return from our pre-season trip, we will train at our newly-redeveloped facility at Rush Green.

Slaven, his staff, myself and my team have had a big role in designing the new training ground and the flow is very good for the staff and players, and an immense improvement on Chadwell Heath.

The most important thing is that the groundsmen have done an amazing job in creating and installing two new Desso Grassmaster pitches, which is composed of natural grass combined with artificial fibres.

Finally, we will travel to the United States without our players who are still in action at Euro 2016 – and we wish Dimi, Ginge and Angelo all the best – and some of those who played international matches after the end of the season.

The USA trip comes a week too soon for Josh Cullen, who will remain at Chadwell Heath and work with our experienced rehab fitness coach Eamon Swift.

Eamon will also work with Michail Antonio, whose partner is expecting a baby next week, and who may join us in the US after the birth.

We take a squad of 22 players, with some senior players, exciting new signings and young players, so it’s going to be a fantastic trip.

That’s all for now!
Stijn Vandenbroucke
Head of Medical and Sports Science