The thread about summer holidays got me thinking about pre-season.

I understand the need to take the players halfway up an Austrian/Swiss mountain for a training camp but instead of playing Morecambe and Accrington couldnt we organise a nice weekend away trip in Europe.

Maybe a reserve fixture to Real Sociedad or Sparta would make pre-season special.

Could we nudge the club towards this with some ideas?

Good point Steve.. Can I also suggest the West Country

Can't play Dawlish again because they went belly up but plenty more down here, Exmouth Town perhaps.

Just been knocked out of the Vase after a good run.

A tour of Eastern Europe would be good. Plenty of tough teams and tests we could have. And who knows maybe unearth a gem or two?!

steve1264b wrote:The thread about summer holidays got me thinking about pre-season.

I understand the need to take the players halfway up an Austrian/Swiss mountain for a training camp but instead of playing Morecambe and Accrington couldnt we organise a nice weekend away trip in Europe.

Maybe a reserve fixture to Real Sociedad or Sparta would make pre-season special.

Could we nudge the club towards this with some ideas?

The pre-season will be determined by what the manager wants and rightly so. He takes the players away early in the pre-season and the policy has then been to play the friendlies on return reasonably locally to enable supporters to go. I used to really enjoy the Austria trips back in SC's day when we went for a week and played a couple of games at the end of the pre-season, but that's not how Sean Dyche works.

Bring back the Isle of Man comp

Yes we should really stop playing rubbish teams in pre season.

Accy and Morecambe are fine but playing against the likes of Rangers does take the biscuit.

claretdom wrote:Bring back the Isle of Man comp

Is that still held?

I understand its the managers choice. I enjoyed the two Rangers games staying in Glasgow. Just thought we could spread our wings. Would be great to have a few days somewhere nice with a match.

Madrid has four teams for example!

steve1264b wrote:I understand its the managers choice. I enjoyed the two Rangers games staying in Glasgow. Just thought we could spread our wings. Would be great to have a few days somewhere nice with a match.

Madrid has four teams for example!

I don't know anything but I'm convinced it will be similar this year to the previous years since Sean Dyche has been manager. They'll go away, play a low key game and then come home and play more local friendlies.

I don't think Dyche likes fans being at the early friendlies. I seem to remember him having a go at some fans in a press conference that weren't happy with a few of the players performance. Dyche leapt to their defence saying pre season is about fitness and not always a good idea to let the fans watch.

Last seasons pre season game at Morecambe might as well as been played somewhere in the hotter climes of Europe as it's certainly the warmest i've ever been at a match.

Quickenthetempo wrote:I don't think Dyche likes fans being at the early friendlies. I seem to remember him having a go at some fans in a press conference that weren't happy with a few of the players performance. Dyche leapt to their defence saying pre season is about fitness and not always a good idea to let the fans watch.

I think you are spot on with that. The first last year was in Geneva and he wouldn't allow any filming of it because he views it as no more than a training exercise.

Cork was decent a few years back, a nice trip to the south of France wouldn't go a miss

It's nice to help out the less fortunate local sides. Often it's one of their biggest gates if the season. The beauty of next season is that Sean's options will be greater with Rovers likely relegation.

ClaretTony wrote:I don't know anything but I'm convinced it will be similar this year to the previous years since Sean Dyche has been manager. They'll go away, play a low key game and then come home and play more local friendlies.

Local friendlies?

May I suggest Rovers, because at the rate they're going, it could possibly be a few years before we're in the same league as them.

ashtonlongsider wrote:Last seasons pre season game at Morecambe might as well as been played somewhere in the hotter climes of Europe as it's certainly the warmest i've ever been at a match.

Jeeezzzzzzzz Ireland is red hot at that time of year and may even hit 18c at times

Malaga,Seville ,then Valencia.

cricketfieldclarets wrote:A tour of Eastern Europe would be good. Plenty of tough teams and tests we could have. And who knows maybe unearth a gem or two?!

Unearth a gem or two in the local brothel

All depends what division we're in. If we are still in the Prem we should be milking every opportunity possible for a commercial tour, be it Asia/America/Eastern Europe or wherever instead of pointless runabouts against the likes of Accy and Bradford.

I could probably count on one hand the pre-season games I've been to where I didn't think, why the hell did I bother with this.

Good for having a look at new players and perhaps seeing opposition you wouldn't normally, but the football is generally shite. Dyche has a point and it's served him well so far, even if it means fewer far flung opportunities to go on the lash for those that fancy it.

Milltown1882 wrote:All depends what division we're in. If we are still in the Prem we should be milking every opportunity possible for a commercial tour, be it Asia/America/Eastern Europe or wherever instead of pointless runabouts against the likes of Accy and Bradford.

This, don't have to kill the players like some of the tours the Manchesters do but increasing non-TV revenue is a key factor in long term top flight survival.

Portugal or Spain would be fine by me

A game against Toronto FC (MLS runner-up) and a couple of local sides over there would be ideal for me as I will be over there around that time anyway

Dear Sean Dyche

I'd like to politely recommend Montpellier as a destination for pre-season friendly.

They have a poor Ligue 1 football team, lots of sunshine and heat (for training purposes) the food is good and it's a very nice place.

Rowls

Got be a tour of the US, playing Atlanta United. Nuff said.

troubleatmexico wrote:Got be a tour of the US, playing Atlanta United. Nuff said.

The I-10 Challenge Cup. Atlanta, Dallas, quick jog over to Juarez to play them (excellent side) back up to play FC Tucson and then home.

That'll get them Dyche fit in 110f weather

Not exactly sure where they stay when they go Spain, but certainly near Marbella. They could stay at La Cala Golf, 5 star resort with gym, spa, golf and full size footy pitch they could use.........other European clubs frequently use it......and my mum lives nearby so I could go and be a pest, maybe even get a game! They could have a friendly against Malaga........

There.......sorted.

Milltown1882 wrote:All depends what division we're in. If we are still in the Prem we should be milking every opportunity possible for a commercial tour, be it Asia/America/Eastern Europe or wherever instead of pointless runabouts against the likes of Accy and Bradford.

I think the manager would be one strong vote against a long distance commercial tour

[quote="ClaretTony"]I think the manager would be one strong vote against a long distance commercial tour[/quote

He doesn't seem to have a problem with our current one so to speak

ClaretTony wrote:
I think the manager would be one strong vote against a long distance commercial tour

Last I looked we support Burnley Football Club not Sean Dyche Football Club.

Decisions on major commercial issues are way above the manager.

Milltown1882 wrote:Last I looked we support Burnley Football Club not Sean Dyche Football Club.

Decisions on major commercial issues are way above the manager.

Only when you want your manager to leave. A long distance tour isn't simply a 'commercial issue' but a drain on players and an impediment to pre season training ritual. SD ultimately lives or dies by the performance of his players so he would expect to have a huge say in what happens pre-season.

Milltown1882 wrote:Last I looked we support Burnley Football Club not Sean Dyche Football Club.

Decisions on major commercial issues are way above the manager.

Don't think anyone suggested otherwise, just what Sean Dyche's professional viewpoint would be.

BRING BACK THE MANX TROPHY

reinstate the texaco cup...we won that

Waste of time watching friendlies. Poor football so I've stopped going. As a minimum I expect a game to be competitive. I'd agree with Dyche. If we can establish ourselves as a Premier League team then a commercial tour sounds like a good idea.

South West Claret where in Devon do you live ? I`m in Sidmouth

Sidmouth? Not near the cliffs I hope, I'm in topsham.

No not near cliffs fortunately other end of town. I travel into Marsh Barton every day.
Would be good to see the Clarets down here but very unlikely.

Tribesmen wrote:Jeeezzzzzzzz Ireland is red hot at that time of year and may even hit 18c at times

Think Tribesmen if you'd have been there you'd have know it was quite a lot hotter than 18c that night.

Goalposts wrote:reinstate the texaco cup...we won that

We sort of did and didn't - we lost in the final of the Texaco Cup in 1973/74 but won the Anglo-Scottish Cup (no Texaco by then) in 1978/79.