The Trial - Arton's Take

31 August 2010

I'd like to say a big thanks to Andy for taking the time to come and support me at the trail and taking some time out of his busy schedule to write the blog that followed.

Let me give you my brief version of events as they went down over my trial at Luton.

The days were scheduled to go as follows:

Day 1 would include a morning of technical assessments followed by an afternoon including a specific battery of fitness tests and some preparation for the trial games the following day. Day 2 would be all about playing trial games and receiving feedback from the coaches about our performances throughout the trial.

The frame was established before we began. Luton were looking for individuals who displayed the requisite skills to play in their first team squad without any further nurturing and through all their previous open trials had found one such individual who they signed on a two year contract. We would be compared directly to guys who get paid to play Conference football but have played and aim to play in the Football League (some players have played as high as the Premier League and some of the coaches have experience at this level too). If any of our performances were to sufficiently impress the coaching staff, we would be invited back to trial with the first team squad.

It was also made clear that the importance of our performances on day one was negligible to that of them on day two. To perform extremely well in the matches on day two was the priority.

I went into day one in a more relaxed state than I had anticipated I would be in. After saying the thank yous I had so dearly wanted to say and having an utterly demonic final gym session, I felt fairly good (there was none of the trembling, heat or empty legged feeling I get when I do performance anxiety) despite my lack of football in the immediate run up to the trial (more on that later).

As it turned out, day one was radically altered. The group I was put in was given fitness testing (not a test on the list we had been given) to do before our technical sessions. The change in schedule was fine by me. I figured with all I have done I am prepared for most things! I set out steadily before easing off to put in an average performance on the test so that my legs would be saved for the coming sessions and the next day's play. I managed to get cramp in both calves during the process. I have not had cramp of that nature for around seven years and I can only put my rare experience down to a mix of dehydration and nerves. Luckily, the tight sensation that lasted throughout the rest of that day didn't impede my performances.

We then went on to three technical drills covering possession, shooting/one-on-one defending and game play before an afternoon of 10-15 minute long full size games.

Instead of giving you a blow by blow of all of my performances, I will cut to the stats that would usually be most noted of any striker. In around 40 minutes of full play, I scored none and assisted one directly. I think I played a part in at least another assist and I missed what I would class as 4 good chances, one of which I would almost label "a sitter".

I found day one odd. I didn't know how much effort to exert given the importance that had been attributed to it by the coaches but one thing was for sure; I had to give everything I had the next day.