What could we do next January break?

Don’t batter the players with running. Practice playing against a low block for 8 hours a day and defending long balls and set pieces.
 
Take them all over to the trophy room in their dump of a stadium and say when we get back that league trophy is ours! Every game is 3 points closer to lifting it, so we need all of you fighting and showing us all that you understand what’s on the line and you want to win that trophy! Forget everything else around you, that is all that matters! The players are lacking that hunger, that desire, they were so close and for whatever reason they allowed teams to outfight them, it’s just perpetuated from there. On Saturday we need to go to Tynecastle with the same attitude, it’s our last chance of silverware and Hearts are going to be up for it like last time there. We need to be able to fight like %^*& first and play our football second, as all they will be doing is battling for second balls etc, like St Johnstone, Kilmarnock, Aberdeen. Not one team of these teams has taken points off us cause they’ve played football!
 
Weekend in Girvan

Then on shift docking ferries in Stranraer, meet n greet the Ulster support, waken a few big time charlies up....
 
We/I don't know what they did in Dubai so kinda difficult to know what needs to change!
 
Possibly something similar to the Florida cup where we play a few games with a bit more intensity than a kick about friendly. When we done that it seemed to have a better impact than the mini pre season style of the last two years.
 
Tell the squad they have a few days off to go relax with friends and family then right back in to training with a couple of friendlies. Maybe even an open training session at Ibrox one of the Saturdays.
 
The players have a week off effectively.A week from last game to being back in training.
Not a sport scientist but how unfit can a player get in a week?
So instead of going back to Dubai or Tenerife and doing a mini pre season why don't we just come back to training centre and just do our normal training sessions that we do throughout the season.Work on shape etc or things we feel we need to improve on.Maybe I'm too simple but I fail to see why you need a min pre season abroad for a week off your work.
 
Take part in the Florida Cup and give the fans some fun because watching the team after these breaks isn’t any fun sadly (Braga aside).
If you cast your mind back to that season. When we came back from that winter break in good form and went on a winning run till we lost to the Mhanks in March. This is what we need to do next season after the break, come out the traps and beat teams.
 
It seems to me that the winter break isn't good for us. It seems to suck the life from us...also it seems to give us too much time to think. And this seems to lead to nerves, and caution.

What are the options though? Make it more like a holiday? Bonding, tactical video work, and some work on 3-5-2 etc?

Longer holiday and work at Rangers Training Centre?

What might help us stay focused, fit and switched on?

Going away isn't the issue the players were given a week off, 6 days normal training with additional fitness work in Dubai and prepared for the Stranraer game for 4 days at the training ground. What was done in Dubai isn't much different to what happens after an international break when the players get a week off.

Loads of clubs go and do warm weather training in the winter its not to blame for our form at present. If anything hopefully the winter break will be looked at and lessons learned with the weather in recent times and stagger it like they do down south instead of a solid 3 weeks off.
 
This abroad pish can do 1. Stay here and train or at furthest head down to England for a week. Play 1 or 2 friendlys. I'm sure plenty of bears would enjoy a trip down to England for a psf game.
 
Don't honestly see the harm is just staying home and training at the training ground, obviously a less intense training program. There's absolutely no point in hammering the players so they have the legs at the end of the season when the league is over.

Staying at home with their families over the winter break would be a good thing for the players imo.
 
If we are in a strong position like we were this year, I would give the squad 4-5 day break.

Then get them back into training and line up plenty friendly to keep the whole squad ticking over.
 
Stay at home, arrange a friendly for the middle of the break.

The squad doesn’t have the mentality to be able to go for this scheduled extended break, so they’ll need to operate as if there isn’t one.
 
If you cast your mind back to that season. When we came back from that winter break in good form and went on a winning run till we lost to the Mhanks in March. This is what we need to do next season after the break, come out the traps and beat teams.
Agreed so Florida it is in January 2021! I’m in:)
 
If we are in a strong position like we were this year, I would give the squad 4-5 day break.

Then get them back into training and line up plenty friendly to keep the whole squad ticking over.

The players got 8-9 days off after playing 41 games and more if you include the internationals as well. We done pretty much what you've said 6 days training in Dubai with a friendly and then back at the training ground for 4 days training with a game and a friendly with some players used in the reserve bounce match as well.
 
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This abroad pish can do 1. Stay here and train or at furthest head down to England for a week. Play 1 or 2 friendlys. I'm sure plenty of bears would enjoy a trip down to England for a psf game.

There would be no point in that given when our winter break is it's English football busiest period of the season so we aren't going to get any English opposition to play games.
 
we should lose our last game before the break, might make us not think we’ve got the league sewn up by january
 
Is it too simplistic to say train in the environment you'll be playing in? More chance we'll be playing in wind and rain than a sunny Dubai climate.
Stay in Glasgow and arrange friendlies with scottish championship teams to keep the levels up. Job done. The last 2 winter breaks we have either:
1. Treated it as a total holiday and taken our eye off the ball.
2. Trained the players in the heat far too much and burned them out.
 
Stop the winter break all together - what's the point with Climate Change supposedly making the world warmer and wetter!!!
 
I'd send them all out on some scheme to help with kids or sweep the streets. The players have come back with a bad mindset and maybe this would make them realise how lucky they are and kick them on.
 
Going abroad isn't a problem it is what you do is while they are there

No mini preseason would help
With all the data and resources available these days it should be fairly obvious that what we have done the past two seasons isn’t working.

I doubt Dubai is the issue but I’d change the destination anyway just to avoid any possible negative subconscious thinking as well.

The mini pre season you mentioned does ring alarm bells though.
 
Build a better squad so injuries, suspensions and out-of-form do not decimate the quality of the first XI.

Play the first XI in the opening match back, even if it's against Stranraer at home. We're not good enough to be experimenting and "giving players minutes".

It's noticeable that in both years, Gerrard has talked of 'emptying the tank' in December. It seems we do and have difficulty with recovery.
 
The players got 8-9 days off after playing 41 games and more if you include the internationals as well. We done pretty much what you've said 6 days training in Dubai with a friendly and then back at the training ground for 4 days training with a game and a friendly with some players used in the reserve bounce match as well.

Well do the same minus the trip to Dubai, whatever we do it needs tweeking as both years the performances have been totally dreadful. No one can say if that is down to going away or not however something has to change next year to avoid it
 
Sustain properly competative games during the break. Not a couple of crappy friendly matches against no mark opposition.
 
Nothing to do with the break - it’s the players.

Alfredo was winning games on his own and now he isn’t. That’s the difference
 
Two weeks, on the lager, junk food, crack cocaine and hookers would probably be better than whatever we have done the last two winter breaks so that might be a starting point.
 
Send them to Russia to train like men

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Or keep them at Auchenhowie and subject them to electric shock treatment (gaffer includes) to make sure they never show such complacency again.
 
It seems to me that the winter break isn't good for us. It seems to suck the life from us...also it seems to give us too much time to think. And this seems to lead to nerves, and caution.

What are the options though? Make it more like a holiday? Bonding, tactical video work, and some work on 3-5-2 etc?

Longer holiday and work at Rangers Training Centre?

What might help us stay focused, fit and switched on?
keep playing :)
 
If you cast your mind back to that season. When we came back from that winter break in good form and went on a winning run till we lost to the Mhanks in March. This is what we need to do next season after the break, come out the traps and beat teams.
We got beat at home to Hibs a few weeks before we played the mhanks.
 
I would keep them at the training centre, if nothing else it sends out the message that the grind isn't over.
 
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