1. Russian FA Euro 2012 Preparation – Raymond Verheijen via twitter.
Monday 21 May 2012
Russian training camp has started in Moscow in preparation of EURO2012.
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Biggest mistake one can make in preparation of EURO2012 is to train twice a day. After a long &
hard season it's about quality not quantity.
Thursday 24 May 2012
Like with most teams, the Russian EURO2012 training sessions consist of warm-ups, passing
exercises, possession games and tactical games.
Within our EURO 2012 periodisation the intensity of all these football exercises is carefully planned
based on simple football principles.
We vary extensive & intensive warm-ups, passing exercises, possession games & tactical games from
day to day but also within sessions.
Tomorrow will be the first practice game vs. Uruguay in Moscow to finish the 1st week of
preparation before next phase in Switzerland.
Saturday 26 May 2012
The golden rule of Football Periodisation: never play games with tired players. Very high injury risk.
Never compromise matches for training.
At the end of a long season fitness level of players is fine. With short/sharp sessions they regain
freshness again without losing sharpness.
Thursday 31 May 2012
In Football Periodisation planning of possession games is pitfall as coaches tend to play in relatively
long blocks. Players lose freshness!
We often play relatively short blocks to allow players to train with maximum speed of actions but
without losing freshness & coordination!
In general, for intensive possession games with a maximum of 3 defenders we often play 4-6 blocks
of 1 minute with 1 minute rest. Quality!
In case of possession games with 4-6 defenders in the middle we often play 4-6 blocks of only 2
minutes with 1 minutes rest. Freshness!
@raymondverheije 1

2. Extensive possession games with a minimum of 7 defenders we often play 4-6 blocks of 3 minutes
with 1 minute rest. Maximum speed of actions!
Next question is which possession game should be planned on what day to get a balance & variation
during the training week. To be continued.
Sunday 3 June 2012
After the Italy game on Friday and a day off yesterday Russia will restart the engine again today in
training before travelling to Warsaw.
There are 2 things we have to take into account. First of all it's the 2nd day after the game so the
first XI are still recovering from game.
Secondly, after a free day there will always be players who need time to get going again. Especially
some of the older players in the squad.
Therefore the first XI will only do an extensive warm-up & extensive passing exercise today before
they really start training again tomorrow.
Last Friday's subs will do a conditioning session today: 6x2min 3v3+2GK/1min rest. Three teams of 3
players will rotate every 1minute.
After today's training subs will do same recovery session like first XI did after Italy game Friday so
they're fresh for tomorrow's training.
Monday 4 June 2012
Variables for session: warm-up (extensive or intensive), passing (ext or int), possession game (ext or
int) & game (tactical or conditioning).
Extensive exercise means lower intensity, bigger volume, longer distances, more players involved,
less actions per minute (less repetitions).
Intensive exercise means higher intensity, smaller volume, shorter distances, less players involved,
more actions per min (more repetitions).
Russian training today: Ext warm up, Ext possession game, Tactical game. For 1st XI it's 3rd day after
game. Subs had hard session yesterday.
No pass/shoot exercise today as 1st XI might still be bit tired after Fri game & subs are tired from
yesterday. Planning = injury prevention.
Tuesday 5 June 2012
Today hardest session of the week. Intensive warm-up (15min). Intensive passing (10min) + shooting
(10min). Games 6v6: 4x3min/2minR. Quality!
Tapering-off training volume on Wed & Thu but with maintaining maximum intensity so players are
fresh but still sharp for Fri game vs Czech.
@raymondverheije 2

3. Wednesday 6 June 2012
Today's training: extensive warm-up as some players might need some time to get going after
yesterday's intensive session with small games.
But extensive warm-up is followed by intensive possession game as players need to keep their
sharpness for Friday's game. Speed of actions!
Session will be finished with last tactical exercise before Fri game v Czech. Work:rest ratio in tactical
exercises also pitfall. Freshness!
No pass/shoot exercise today because of intensive session yesterday. Some players might still have
some muscle fatigue. Injury prevention!
Thursday 7 June 2012
Team has arrived in Wroclav, Poland for tomorrow’s opening game vs Czech Republic. Tonight at
6pm final training session in stadium.
As yesterday’s session was not hard players will not be tired at start of today’s session. So, normally
we would do an intensive warm-up.
However, as players have travelled today by plane some might have stiff hamstrings. Therefore, they
will start with an extensive warm-up.
Extensive warm-up is followed by intensive pass exercise. Sharp! Session is finished with extensive
tactical exercise to keep players fresh.
@raymondverheije 3

4. 9 June 2012
After game when arriving back in hotel, the players best go straight into swimming pool for recovery
session to get rid of waste products.
During recovery session in pool players will also get rid of adrenalin. So they will sleep sooner, longer
& deeper which speeds up recovery.
Today’s session first XI: ext. warm-up & ext. passing. No possession games or tactical games to avoid
too much load on muscles, tendons, etc.
Normally, day after game subs do 6x2min4v4/1minR. But in tournament less days between games.
Subs have to stay fresh for Tue game vs. Poland.
Today’s session subs: extensive warm-up, intensive pass/shooting, conditioning games 4v4
(4x2min/1minR) + recovery session in swimming pool.
10 June 2012
Normally, on the 2nd day after a game it’s best not to train at all. However, in a tournament that’s a
risk as players might lose rhythm.
Often in 1st session after a free day several players need time to restart engine. As a result, the
quality of training is relatively poor.
However, in a tournament this 1st session after free day is also often last session before next game.
This should be a top quality session!
Therefore, the golden rule in tournament periodisation: only plan free day if at least 4 full days
between games. Otherwise: maintain rhythm.
In today’s session Russia first XI & subs train light. First XI still tired from Fri game & subs tired from
yesterday’s conditioning session.
Therefore, an extensive warm-up will be followed by extensive possession game. No pass/shoot
exercise with tired muscles. Injury prevention!
So, the main objective of today’s light session is to maintain training rhythm while the body is still
recovering. No extra muscle fatigue.
11 June 2012
Tonight the final session in Warsaw stadium before tomorrow’s game vs Poland. Main focus is to
regain sharpness after 2 light recovery days.
If tonight’s training would again be an easy low intensity session the team might start tomorrow’s
game without any intensity & sharpness.
Therefore, the session will start with intensive warm-up followed by intensive pass/shoot exercise &
finish with short, sharp tactical game.
@raymondverheije 4

5. Tonight every exercise with 100% maximum speed of actions to develop sharpness but small volume
to avoid fatigue. Quality, quality, quality.
Especially with a relatively old team like Russia it’s an interesting challenge between games to
recover in time & to regain sharpness.
Fri: game. Sat: recovery. Sun: maintain training rhythm but no extra fatigue. Mon: regain sharpness
but maintain freshness. Tue: Poland game.
@raymondverheije 5