"That was a big switch physically, I had to try and do most of that in muscle so I got into a lot of weight training and fitness training, " he said.

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Verheijen, who has a Uefa A coaching licence, argues that too many fitness coaches are not from a football background and do not fully understand the sport and its relationship to training and preparation.

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For ordinary civilians to really make use of the tidbits of time and interstitial situations in their lives to increase their fitness, they need at least a baseline of training and body awareness that most, unfortunately do not have.

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Leslie has not played since breaking an ankle in Scotland's World Cup clash with South Africa in October and although McGeechan admitted the player will have to do some strenuous work in training next week, he is confident the Wellington-born star will prove his fitness.

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