Every week, our resident Pro, David Hunt, will be answering the best questions from the week before. Here are last week’s on everything from pre-match food to choice of socks!
Nick Asks:
How much training do you have to to every week and what do you do when you don’t train?
Hi Nick,
A usual week would be, train Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and game Saturday. Wednesday and Sunday are rest days. Training starts at 10.30am, we have to get to the training ground at 10.00am half hour before. Training usually for 1 hour 20 minutes and then I spend about 30 minutes after doing extra training.
Can never finish straight away, I hate not playing football. On my days off I tend to rest up, I have a family so most of my time is taken up with them, I do try and sneak in a game of football manager and go to watch Arsenal play.
Paddy Asks:
Here’s a question I always wanted to ask a Pro. What do you suggest for pre match meals? I play football on a Saturday afternoon, sometimes I just have a cereal, sometimes toast and porridge. Should I eat twice or just once? I wondered if you had any good advice. Thanks, Paddy
Hi Paddy,
Pre-match meals are different for everyone. You need to try and find a routine that suits your needs. You have to realise that it isn’t just about what you eat on the match day but also a couple of days before, this time is crucial as it gives you your base for energy. I make sure the night before a game that I choose from jacket potato/rice/pasta, fish/chicken/mince and vegetables.
On match day I like to start with porridge, banana and honey, I then have an omelette around midday and that’s me ready. I don’t like to eat too much as I hate playing on a full, heavy stomach.' I know some players that have a massive breakfast and a massive lunch before a game, like I said everyone’s different.
Experiment with routines, when you find you feel good during a game stick to what you did that day.
Hope this helps!
FUZZY Asks:
Hi Hunty 🙂
2 questions mate, first, what do you think of the bright young things in Brentford youths? I know Jake pretty well, and I think he’s one for the future!
Secondly, what do you make of your season in League 1, and which teams do you think will be promoted?
There are some good youngsters at our club. Youth set-ups are crucial for the future of clubs especially in lower leagues. Jake is a very good player and a good lad off the pitch too. He definitely is one to look out for.
Brentford’s first season in League 1 has been a success. You look at the other teams promoted with us last season and they are all fighting to stay in the League. We are proving that we are not just another number in this league and predict good things for next season. I predict that Norwich, Leeds and Millwall to get promoted, it’s so close and should be an exciting end to the season.
Adsy Asks:
Is it white socks you wear over your football socks? I have noticed a fair few players doing this. Is there a reason. I tried it once but found less movement in my ankles.
I wear white socks but not over another pair. I cut my match socks off at the ankle, I do this for two reasons, one is comfort. If I wear match socks I tend to get blisters, white socks are more comfortable and I wear these during the week in training so I’m used to wearing them.
The other is purely for look, best way to describe it is if you go on a night out you want to feel good and confident, this is done by what you wear and it’s how I feel when I wear the white socks in games. I used to have tape above them to hold my shin pads but now I’ve found a way of not needing to use tape which means even more comfort.
And that’s all for this week!
You can catch Hunty on his own blog “Life of Another League” or at Twitter.
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“I used to have tape above them to hold my shin pads but now IĂ¢â‚¬â„¢ve found a way of not needing to use tape which means even more comfort.”
Can I have a bit more info here? I too also find it more comfortable to wear white socks. But taping it is annoying, for a) taking it off, b)they rarely last half a match and c) shinpads always slide down. When I’m uncomfortable with what I’m wearing, I play badly.
Hunty,
Please share your secret to NOT using a tape when you use white socks. Please please please please. Are you using a pocketed sleeve? You don’t know how many people you can help out here with your discovery. I’ve done it all not to use the tape but yet to come up with the resolution that provides the most comfort.
Please share mate.
Hunty ! I wanted to know if when you play away and here the away fans ” heckling ” you can you hear them ? I have been at games where one guy has hated a player and gone on, just wondering if you hear that stuff?
Hunty, i have noticed that most pro players wear old and simple shinguards such as yours and not the most advertised ones and most expensive ones such as the Nike Mercurial Blade and the Adidas F50. What do you think about it or have your mates told you something about them?
Hi, I would like to know what you do at training. How do you warm up and do you spend training doing one drill or is it split into multiple parts? Maybe you could give an example of a typical training session.
Hunty,So glad you have your own blog. Great to have an insight on the life of a professional. Really helpful for aspiring footballers.
As a 24 year old, what are the possibilities of making pro? (conference,Isthmian Leagues, etc). Its quite hard to get noticed now, and was wondering on any advise you may have in regards to this.
I have been through a couple of trials recently through a website which offers paid trials, but I wonder if scouts which come to these events really want to look at older talent.
Any suggestions would be greatly appriciated.
Cheers!
at 24 mate id say to go into semi pro game.
Blue Square North / South if your good enough. speak to some clubs near you most will take you on trial.
relly really glad to read that answers !!!
thanks Hunty !!!
so the new socks gives you blisters =O, and you prefer older socks, very very very interesting, thanks again !!!
Use pre-wrap instead of tape…Wrap it around your ankle like you would tape. Then roll it up or down to tighten it. Then pull it up right underneath your shingaurds. It also helps if you have sleeves underneath as well.
Ohh and also. Ive practiced more than this this past month…Sometimes we’ve had 3 a days. Practice at 6:30am. A training group two days a week at about 8:15, right after our 6:30am practice, and another practice at 4:30pm. 1 hour and 20 minutes seems like a short amount of time for a practice to me.
David,
Not really a question, but not being a Twitterer this was the only way I found to reach you! As well as supporting Brentford (home and away) since the 1950’s, I/we (Yore Publications) publish football books, mostly club histories, notably the latest Brentford History (I co-wrote) and Shrewsbury Town history (‘Breathe on ‘Em Salop’) in 1995 (author Mike Jones). At present I am writing (with a few contributions from others) – ‘Brentford F.C. – 50 Memorable Matches’. I am impressed with your ‘reports’ (flattery sometimes helps!) and wondered would you be willing to write one (I have in mind v. Colchester away, I was there – and your two goals!). Article 550 – 650 words. I can email you a sample, and any other info.
Thanks for your time, hopefully you can email me back Regards,
Dave Twydell