The mountain retreat – upholding an Italian tradition

Before Josh Doig’s plane took him on a lung-pumping, leg-burning pre-season training camp with his new team-mates, the wheels on his plane had barely kissed the Italian tarmac.

The Scotsman reminisces about his arrival at Hellas Verona in July 2022, saying, “If you sign, you can go home, pack a bag, and come back.” I had anticipated being drained into it.

I signed up for a two-hour drive straight to the mountains, not speaking the language, and it was terrifying, but I fell in love with it after a few days.

The pre-season retreat known as the ritiro pre-campionato is a form of Italian custom.

Clubs spend weeks preparing for the new season at high-altitude camps, replacing hot, humid summers with fresh mountain air and picturesque surroundings in the north of the nation.

Doig, who is currently with Sassuolo in Serie A and speaking from his fourth retreat, this one in Ronzone, a quiet Alpine village, adds left-back Doig, who is now with Sassuolo in Serie A. “You have almost six weeks off with your family and then 17 days away.”

It’s just head down and work hard when you’re in the mountains, they say. Every day you feel exhausted, but knowing you’re getting something out of it makes it better.

“It shocks the system, but it gets you back in the swing of things with your fitness and football mindset.”

The “ritiro” has a relatively unscathed history in Serie A despite the fact that many clubs, especially those in the Premier League, now opt for lucrative international tours.

According to Marco Ottolini, director of Genoa sports, “every player has grown up with this kind of tradition.” “Maybe we have more mountains than other countries”!

Only AC Milan made the summer of this summer, playing in Hong Kong and Australia, with 12 other clubs setting up retreats at their own training facilities and still making the slopes. Napoli under Antonio Conte are even doing it twice.

Before the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, Italian disciplinarian Fabio Capello grilled the squad outside of their friends and family in the small Austrian village of Irdning, which is located in the Austrian Alps.

According to Italian football journalist Daniele Verri, some teams would use the remote camps to control their players’ behavior or prevent them from partying in the off-season.

Fans wouldn’t even know where their clubs would end, Verri adds. You now have full houses.

Over time, the environment has changed. Most clubs now allow players’ families to visit, the camps have been shorter, and there are more team-building activities. In addition, most clubs now offer open training sessions for fans. For instance, some of the players from Genoa have gone rafting and on mountain hikes.

Ottolini from Genoa’s base in Moena, in Val di Fassa, recalls how their 11-day stay was “a lot longer.”

For me, there were organizations that stayed in the mountains for three weeks, which was detrimental to the players’ mental health. You now have to plan the breaks and allow for some leisure time.

Of course, training techniques have also changed.

Former Switzerland international Inler, who spent eight seasons in Serie A with Udinese and Napoli, recalls that “it was more mountain runs, up and downs, more physical, 1, 000m runs back and forth” as a child.

“Then it started to change gradually. Some coaches, like Rafael Benitez, preferred to run while playing ball on the field.

A typical day for Patrick Vieira’s Genoa includes a morning and afternoon session in which the players can use the spa, pool, or work on their recovery with the physio.

According to Ottolini, “Patrick has brought a lot of self-consciousness and he transmits this kind of charisma, this calmness in the right way.”

Patrick “is very organized,” he says, “give the players the necessary breaks before training, and he wants them to concentrate completely and concentrate.”

Additionally, daily double sessions have been held under Italian World Cup-winning left-back Fabio Grosso at Sassuolo’s camp.

It “explains Doig,” says Doig, “is full on.” In the morning, we always exercise, and in the afternoon, we always do ball work. The gaffer is a good at doing that.

It is now becoming more tactical. After a challenging morning session, you can look forward to some afternoon games and tactics.

Of course, golf is still a game of choice.

Clubs held events for visiting fans in addition to friendlies and open training sessions, such as a table football game with Genoa players taking part in a meeting at nearby Alpine resort Canazei.

Ottolini goes on to say that “it is traditional for the supporters.” They prefer to travel with their families to watch games and training in order to remain a little bit closer to the team in comparison to what they can do all year long.

The Napoli fans’ retreats have been running for two this summer because they are so popular.

“Every Italian team traveled to the mountains in the 1980s to experience the spirit of a team.” Really just between team members, says Naples-based journalist Vincenzo Credendino.

“The retreat of Napoli is a occurrence right now. They practice during the day and perform at nightclubs.

However, clubs also benefit financially from this.

Conte’s side spent 11 days in Val di Sole, a Trentino valley, before spending two weeks in Castel di Sangro, atop the Apennine Mountains, in Abruzzo.

“Napoli is good for the regions because it draws a lot of fans who frequent hotels and restaurants, and they kayak and mountain bike,” Credendino says.

It costs a lot of money, according to Trentino and Abruzzo Regions, “like a real business.” They pay Napoli to travel, but they also make a lot more money.

Verri continues, “A high club’s pre-season training camp can mean a lot if it’s a mountain resort looking for visibility.” It piques attention, and most importantly, many, many fans.

“That’s why it’s worthwhile to sponsor teams and provide them with free lodging and other benefits.”

Would clubs consider switching from traditional retreats to more lucrative overseas options in the future?

Inler makes the claim that “for the player it is difficult.” You travel extensively after a long season, especially mentally, and it is exhausting. You are in Europe, gentle clubs, so you are not as tired.