NASHVILLE – Nashville SC players and staff took to the pitch this morning for the first time as a team in 2021. The club’s sophomore Major League Soccer season has plenty of foundation to build upon from its record-breaking inaugural campaign.
During the regular season, we’ll be breaking down the game from the TV broadcast booth. But for now, we’re giving you our “Nsider” view from the sidelines throughout preseason training as Head Coach Gary Smith and his staff tune the players up for MLS kick off on April 17.
Here’s what stood out during Wednesday’s session:
Everyone N
TH: Head Coach Gary Smith and his staff were able to assess the full roster of signed players from the start. That’s a massive bonus for any club in what will be a busy year.
Ball Work
TH: The days of players running….and running….and running for weeks of pre-season are long gone. The squad were quickly into ball work including shooting. CJ Sapong supplements the strikers and that competition should only enhance that group going into the season.
Beep...Beep...Beep
JW: The big takeaway for me today was the preseason moment that still haunts me the most from my playing days...the beep test. It’s the preferred method of assessment for many technical staffs to test the players physical and mental endurance. After today’s performance of the two groups, I think Head Coach Gary Smith will walk away feeling very pleased with where his team is beginning preseason, and that will allow him to build the fitness level with the ball included, instead of with just running shoes on.
Holding Out for A Haircut
TH: Walker Zimmerman was keeping the long hair look on day one. This could be one of the big sagas of preseason.
JW: And if I had hair like that, I wouldn’t cut it either!
Check back next week for more training Nsider access to Nashville SC’s 2021 Preseason. For midweek musings and more Nashville SC talk, follow us on Twitter @TonyHusband and @JamieWatson77.
Click here for the team’s 2021 preseason schedule. Keep up with all the preseason action by following Nashville SC on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and TikTok @NashvilleSC.
