Revealed: Sean Dyche’s BRUTAL pre-season training session, wryly dubbed ‘Gaffer’s Day’, which pushes players to their physical and mental limits
- Everton continued their training programme with a 2-1 victory over Salford City
- Toffees enter their final season at Goodison as they await stadium move
- ‘Gaffer’s Day’ has been a regular part of Dyche’s pre-season training for over a decade
Everton’s James Garner has drawn attention to a regular part of Sean Dyche’s pre-season training: ‘Gaffer’s Day’.
The England Under-21 international claimed a number of his team-mates were still suffering from the tough training sessions during the Toffees’ 2-1 win over Salford City last week.
Dyche’s famous session has been part of his pre-season training since he was Watford manager, and this season the players were given a double dose ahead of the new campaign.
‘Gaffer’s Day’ is an intense two-hour running session without footballs, designed to push participants to their limits both physically and mentally.
“The body can do much more than the mind allows it to do. The mind will be the first to break down,” Dyche’s assistant Steve Stone explained in 2023.
Sean Dyche’s tough training session in preparation for the new season was in the spotlight
‘Gaffer’s Day’ has been part of Dyche’s pre-season regime since he took over as manager of Watford
James Garner admitted that some players may have felt the effects of the double dose of the previous weeks
“It’s something where you try to break through that barrier. Once they get halfway through, once they get to an hour, hour and ten, they can see the end, you can see the guys growing in the session.”
Players who have worked with Dyche in the past have insisted the hype surrounding the session is anything but exaggerated. Former Everton hero Alex Iwobi defended its severity, while Jack Cork, who played under the tough boss at Burnley, claimed it was unlike anything he had seen at any other club.
The veteran of some eight different clubs said in 2018: ‘I’ve never done a session like this at any other club.
“It’s different, but last year it was really good, it helped me to adapt to the team. It’s good when you’re new and you’re with the guys, because you can show that you’re part of a team and it helps you to come together.”
Dyche hopes the double helping of ‘Gaffer’s Day’ will allow his team to build on last season’s impressive performances.
The Toffees finished the season in 15th place with 40 points, despite two separate points deductions which saw eight removed from their total.
The coming season is of particular significance for the team as it is likely to be their final season at Goodison Park before they move to their state-of-the-art new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock.