Generally there are 2 prevalent approaches, and both have differing effects on CA distribution through training.
Firstly it’s important to realize that training only distributes the growth of attributes. Playing regularly helps with growth and development so the two need to work together.
Pre-season needs to be arduous enough to build player fitness so they can last an entire season, if it’s too light players get injured more or tire faster.
So it’s never ideal to set training intensity to less than double for fully fit players. Automating rest is always a good idea using the physio recommendations.
The two broad training methods are both balanced in nature and differ only in the amount of sessions employed.
Plan A
Up to 2 sessions of match practice and at least 2-3 general training sessions. Attack, Defend and Endurance are usually your best bet, slam Recovery into as many slots left over.
This approach depends more on players playing regularly. So those that do will see good development, those that don’t well not as optimum. It reduces injuries.
Player development not always optimal, since players who aren’t in the match day squad don’t actually train. To ensure some kind of development its imperative they are assigned additional focus training.
Plan B
More micro management. Once again rest is automated with only fully fit players on double intensity.
Match Practice x 2 and at least 5 sessions. Each day has training sessions including after match day. Balanced in nature.
Players in match day squad are manually assigned rest (this is a tedious process and time consuming). The alternative is better - having a full recovery day after a match day.
You get better CA distribution but as a manager you need to rotate and track players who might be used too much. These players might need to be assigned more rest days. Normally do this to players who have already capped their CA
This approach is more preferred if you want your players with high potential to grow as optimally as possible. Once they have done so it’s a case of squad management.
On faster network saves where you don’t care much about squad management, it makes more sense to opt for Plan A, while in longer term youth development saves Plan B is the better option.
Rashidi has even experimented with “No Training” including no additional focus training, but, that had such terrible CA distribution that only really works for tactic simulations where you don’t want to see a single injury from training.
Credit: Rashidi
Source: footballmanager.com
