Everton’s players were subjected to two gruelling sessions, known as ‘Gaffer’s Day’, last week as they stepped up preparations for the new season.
Gaffer’s Day has long been part of manager Sean Dyche’s pre-season schedule, with players usually put through a series of fitness drills on a set day in the middle of July.
While the nature of the drills can change, some elements remain a constant.
“It’s just two hours with no balls out and just different running drills,” Everton defender Michael Keane, who also played under Dyche at Burnley, explained last summer.
“It’s just as important mentally as it is physically.”
This season, though, the Everton squad did two separate Gaffer’s Day sessions, on Tuesday and Thursday of last week.
“I didn’t do Gaffer’s Day last season (due to England Under-21 commitments) but this season we have had two,” midfielder James Garner told The Athletic after Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at Salford City.
“We did a Gaffer’s Day on Tuesday and Thursday so a few of the lads were still feeling it today (Saturday). It is all in good will for going into the new season and today was just logging the minutes. The result did not quite go our way but the most important thing is getting all the lads ready for the season.”
Garner is a key player for Dyche and featured in 37 Premier league games last season. He has returned looking sharp this summer, scoring a low free-kick to give Everton the lead at Salford and sporting the captain’s armband in the second-half.
Afterwards, he spoke both of his desire to threaten more from set-pieces and his leadership aims.
“I feel really good, that was my second game and another 60/70 minutes. It is tough with the pre-season the manager has got us on, it is all about getting the minutes in your legs so we are ready for the first game.
“I was free-kick taker last season but I didn’t really get any chance to take them and didn’t score one. Hopefully, that will cause a few of the lads to back off. He [Andre Gomes, who scored a direct free-kick v Palace in the FA Cup replay] was definitely the main taker when he was on the pitch. This is something I am looking to add to my game and hopefully this season I can add a few.”
On his captaincy experience, he said: “I think coming through the academy (at Manchester United) I have always been a natural leader.
“I have always had the armband since I was a kid all the way up to the under-21’s so the next step for me now is being a captain of the first team so I think it is natural for me to lead a team just by how I play.”
Everton play Coventry City on Tuesday, with their Premier League season getting underway against Brighton at Goodison on August 17.
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Inside Everton’s pre-season: How Sean Dyche prepares players for the Premier League
(Charlotte Tattersall/Getty Images)
