According to the Mirror, Arsenal are going to take the help of 4 time Olympic gold winner and athletics legend Michael Johnson to help train their young players.
a Ita s about developing athletes. How do you bring an athlete from seven or eight years old all the way through to their full development as a 17 or 18 year-old,” Johnson said.
a We dona t work with the first-team players. We specialise in youth athletics development and are seen as the experts in that.a
Michael Johnson would certainly be of great help for youngsters looking to improve their speed along with strengthening themselves, a combination that is very important for an athlete to avoid injuries and yet be fast.
For a club like Arsenal, where the focus is on fast, attractive football at breakneck speed, creating youngsters who have the speed of a Theo Walcott is very important. But as Walcott himself showed, having the speed but not the strength to allow the body to cope for the rigours of English football only means an extended stay in the doctora s office.
Arsenal are also clear on who they want to help with Michael Johnsona s expertise. Not the seasoned professionals who have already developed their body; rather the scholars who start out young at the club so they will have a better physique to help them face the rigours of high intensity football.