The Football Manc Cave

Focusing on the football news in Greater Manchester

OPINION: Pre Season at Non-League​ Level Has Changed Over The Years

Following a tweet, by Altrincham FC striker Jordan Hulme we thought we’d look at the facts and give our opinion as to whether preseason in Non-League football has changed.

Because of many factors yes Non-League preseason and Non-League football, in general, has changed over the years. I agree with Hulme the days of players just going on the booze for a month are gone but probably for the better.

In the last few years Non-League football has taken great strides in becoming more professional and more advanced than it had previously been, the standard of Non-League is constantly improving as the game at that level gets more and more interest and funding.

We see players like Vardy and Smalling who climbed there way from Non-League to the Football League, and personally I don’t think this would have been possible had Non-League not been improving constantly. Would any professional club have cared if Vardy had been playing Sunday league at the age he broke into the upper parts of Non-League…I don’t think so.

I understand why some players have issues with this, one of the reasons that some people play Non-League is that its less of a commitment. You don’t have to train daily, go to the gym and monitor their diet. In the modern version of Non-League, though that commitment is there, you can’t go off in your summer months on a total bender, purely because the other players won’t be and you will be steps behind.

I’m sure a lot of Non-League players would love a return to the old ways, however, in the state that the game is in at the present time, its just not possible because players and clubs will be left behind.

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