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NEWS & EVENTS
DPMM FC gets fresh start and new training routines
Thursday, November 28, 2013






New DPMM FC coach Steve Kean oversaw his first day of training yesterday and promised a fresh start and different training methods as the club prepare for February's S-League season.

Barely an hour after putting pen to paper, Kean traded his shirt, slacks and shoes for boots, shorts, and club jersey - with his initials emblazoned on the left.

After spending a few minutes speaking with assistant coach Moksen Mohammad, Kean stepped onto the field at the Jerudong Mini Stadium for the first time.

Gathering the players around him - 10 of whom are on trial with the club, the most notable ex-Arsenal and Everton striker Francis Jeffers - Kean told them to forget all about last season, where they finished eighth after finishing second the previous year.

The coach said he would be using the next two weeks to understand his players better.

"Today was about seeing the local players play, which is why I put them in the same team - but tomorrow (today) I will change it up and we will play 11 vs 11 on a full pitch," the Scotsman said.

"There will be different training routines everyday," he added when quizzed about yesterday's innovative training session.

The team have been on a two-week break since their S-League season ender against Geylang International FC on Nov 6 and only resumed on Monday, so match fitness is obviously not up to par yet.

After a light jog, the players teamed up with one another and spent the next 15 minutes on passing drills.

Kean then divided the squad into two - with the trial players in one team - and oversaw a unique session where the focus was on one-touch passing and stretching play.

Using only one half of the field, each side had two small goalposts to chose from to score - with the players alternating touches between one and two.

"If the first player touches the ball once, and the second player touches it once, the third player cannot touch the ball more than once. If he does, the team loses possession," Kean explained.

"I want them all to press once they lose the ball. If they win the ball back and do not score, they have to press immediately - starting from the striker," he added.

The defenders then moved to one half of the field to practice defensive headers while the rest used the other half of the field to focus on attacking plays.

"I think they were able to understand what I explained," said Kean of the day's session, later adding he would definitely start learning Malay and does not want to bring in any new coaching staff.

"The possession game was quite good but the players looked a bit tired in the shooting game (second part of training).

"It will take a few days for me to see the best in them, especially the players on trial who spent a long time getting here... They need time to adjust to the climate too.

"Jeffers looked sharp and I like that, but he pulled a muscle in his leg," he said of the former England international.

Kean was unveiled to the media after signing his contract yesterday, and speaking to the press then, he said he wanted to work on building a defensively stronger team.

But working on improving the team as a whole, though, is just as important.

"We have a few defenders in for trials but we have players in all positions here for trial," he said when asked if the trials were focused on brining in defenders.

"Good clubs always look to improve all positions."

Courtesy from Brunei Times