Leeds United defender Robin Koch is hoping this summer’s pre-season preparations will lead to a campaign with less injuries. The Whites began preparations for their third consecutive Premier League season on Monday, with the players who did not represent their countries during the June international period returning to Thorp Arch.
Under Marcelo Bielsa, large portions of Leeds’ pre-season work was based around fitness work, which until last year, worked superbly as the Whites were the fittest team in the country. However, Leeds were hit with several long-term injuries to key players in the 2021/22 campaign, which Bielsa’s replacement Jesse Marsch put down to over-training.
The likes of Kalvin Phillips, Patrick Bamford, Liam Cooper, Luke Ayling and Koch himself all missed long periods of the season, which was the main cause of Leeds’ struggles and huge relegation scare. This year, though, Leeds have already been captured taking part in ball-work sessions, as Marsch looks to get to work on incorporating his principles ahead of his first full season.
