Baird tries a fresh approach
SELF-CONFESSED 'old school' manager Ian Baird has turned to one of the younger generation to get his Eastleigh side fit for the new Blue Square Bet South campaign.
Former Hamble ASSC favourite Louis Langdown has joined the Spitfires for pre-season as a fitness/strengthening coach, with Baird keen to see if a fresh approach to training can bring something extra out of his players, writes WENDY GEE.
Langdown comes with good qualifications having previously worked as head of strength and conditioning at Championship side Crystal Palace.
Langdown comes with good qualifications having previously worked as head of strength and conditioning at Championship side Crystal Palace.
An associate lecturer in sports science at Southampton Solent University, he led the Team Solent football team to the Southampton Senior Cup final at St. Mary's in April.
But it was through another sport, boxing, that Baird first got to know him earlier this year.
The Eastleigh boss spent many a long hour training at the Millbank Gym in Northam in preparation for a white collar boxing bout to raise money for Saints veterans' annual trip to the International Soccer Sevens in Hong Kong.
"Louis was the conditioning coach for the boxers and I had a few conversations with him," said Baird.
"He's very well qualified with a decent CV and he's a different voice for the players to listen to.
"Rather than the players coming in for the same old pre-season, Louis can bring something new.
"I'm an old school manager, but fitness and conditioning has moved on a bit since my playing days," the ex-Saints and Leeds United striker admitted.
"It's a lot more scientific than it was before with all sorts of weird and wild ways of getting players fit.
"Louis is part of that younger generation. He's a modern fitness coach.
"I must admit that in the past I was always one of those people who thought they must be getting money for old rope, but I'm willing to give it a go.
"Whether a new approach to training will make the difference to us getting into the play-offs or not, I don't know. But having been a player myself I know it gets boring doing the same old, same old all the time.
"Having a different person doing the sessions keeps you on your toes."
But it was through another sport, boxing, that Baird first got to know him earlier this year.
The Eastleigh boss spent many a long hour training at the Millbank Gym in Northam in preparation for a white collar boxing bout to raise money for Saints veterans' annual trip to the International Soccer Sevens in Hong Kong.
"Louis was the conditioning coach for the boxers and I had a few conversations with him," said Baird.
"He's very well qualified with a decent CV and he's a different voice for the players to listen to.
"Rather than the players coming in for the same old pre-season, Louis can bring something new.
"I'm an old school manager, but fitness and conditioning has moved on a bit since my playing days," the ex-Saints and Leeds United striker admitted.
"It's a lot more scientific than it was before with all sorts of weird and wild ways of getting players fit.
"Louis is part of that younger generation. He's a modern fitness coach.
"I must admit that in the past I was always one of those people who thought they must be getting money for old rope, but I'm willing to give it a go.
"Whether a new approach to training will make the difference to us getting into the play-offs or not, I don't know. But having been a player myself I know it gets boring doing the same old, same old all the time.
"Having a different person doing the sessions keeps you on your toes."
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