David Stockdale
Image by: Paul Hazlewood
PUBLISHED
06:02 9th October 2016
by James Hilsum
Albion's shot stopper feels the break has come at the right time.
I think it’s important you do have some down time when you’ve had an intense run of fixtures."
David Stockdale
Brighton & Hove Albion goalkeeper David Stockdale has welcomed the international break as a chance for the squad to recharge their batteries.Albion came into this two-week hiatus after a gruelling schedule of seven games in the space of four weeks, which has seen the team rise up to fourth in the Sky Bet Championship table.David Stockdale
He said, “People have asked whether the international break has come at a good time for us, given we’d been playing well and getting good results, but I think it’s important you do have some down time when you’ve had an intense run of fixtures.
“We’re not in every day; we’ve been able to spend some time with our families too, helping to recharge the batteries, and I’m sure we’ll be fresh and ready to go when training steps up again next week.
“Obviously training during the international break is slightly different because we have a number of players away on duty with their countries, but we bring in the under-23s to train with us, which helps to maintain the numbers.
“This also ensures the tempo is kept up because they want to make an impression on the management and also prove to themselves that they can perform well alongside the first-team players.”
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Despite the temporary lull in action, Stockdale insists the squad cannot afford to lower their intensity in training, with the next run of fixtures just around the corner.“While mentally you can maybe relax a bit more because you haven’t got a game coming up at the weekend, it’s important you do maintain your tempo in training and your sharpness.
“The break doesn’t last long and you will soon be back preparing for the next game, which for us is Preston next Saturday.”
Original article