Pre-season training used to be brutal. It was often designed to be as unpleasant as possible. Players were pushed to their limits and beyond, both mentally and physically.
That approach is now considered outdated and counter-productive. Where once pre-season was a means to impose discipline and work off summer excesses, players are now expected to return in good condition, ready to pick up where they left off. That was not always the case.
"A dramatic change came around with sports science people getting involved," says former Aston Villa and Birmingham City defender Liam Ridgewell. "The first week nowadays is very light.