MANAGER Ian Long expects Alvechurch's mantra to remain the same once the club's new hybrid daytime training regime kicks in.
The Step 3 outfit, which represents a village just south of Birmingham's border, is looking to attract top talent by opening up the chance to train full-time.
Dependent on playing schedules, daytime training will typically take place on Mondays and Fridays to complement the usual Tuesday and Thursday night sessions to include those who cannot commit to the new programme.
“Wednesdays will be optional, we know we are not paying out massive wages so some may have to get some part-time work in as well,” explained Long.
“Then you have experienced lads like Jamie Willets and Ash Carter who have careers and commitments away from football that mean they cannot join the programme.
It will be important to have those evening sessions for setplays, patterns of play, things like that.”
Players will benefit from strength and conditioning coaching and gym membership at Village Hotel, Shirley. The club has invested in GPS tracking and ex-Solihull Moors goalkeeper and coach Darren Acton has bolstered the backroom staff.
“It is being done really professionally and gives boys who come out of full-time clubs an opportunity to keep up fitness levels,” he added.
“One of the things that happened to me when I came out of full-time football was my brain slowed down a bit, you don't see things quite as quickly as you do when you are training all the time.”
It is a major change for a club that was playing at Step 5 as recently as 2017 but Long pointed out that its production line already flows pretty nicely.
“Sam McLintock (FC Halifax, now AFC Telford) and Dylan Barkers, who has just got another year at Cheltenham Town, moved up last season,” he said.
“Yusifu Ceesay went to Blackpool, Josh March went to Forest Green via Leamington and Jake Wakeling went on to Leicester City. We have got a few into full-time football and that is something we are looking to do even better with.
“As long as the right oppor-tunities come their way, we are quite happy for them to progress.”
Long also dismissed talk of heightened expectations.
“There is no pressure on us other than to not get relegated,” he added.
Teething problems
“This hasn't added any pressure on results, there are bound to be a few teething problems with the new programme.
“On the two occasions we have reached the play-offs at Step 3 we have done it with a young, unfancied side.
“One of the problems we have now is in the middle of the park, we are in a bit of a rebuild in that area but at a club like Alvechurch there will always be players coming and going.
“We have young players who are likely to get picked off by bigger clubs. We don't mind if things are done correctly.
“Some clubs have not always done things the right way. We are not here to be walked over but at the same time we accept lads will want to move on and better themselves.”
