It was encouraging to see Nigel de Jong looking mobile and hopefully heading towards fitness for the Manchester derby this weekend. Either that or he’s practising for the Dutch Olympic speed skating team. Collectively the speed skaters have won many more medals than the Dutch Olympic skiing team - it’s the lack of hills that’s the problem!
Meanwhile, Adam Johnson appears to be replicating a scene from an episode of Alan Partridge with his circa 1970s jogging shorts. If you know the show, you’ll know what we’re on about. Let’s hope the lining hasn’t perished...
Popular Faroese keeper Gunnar Nielsen is pictured here in the boot room prior to an EDS training session this morning. In the cool box by his legs is 50lbs of raw fish that he spreads around his goal-mouth to remind him of home. Then he eats them! Tough lads, Faroe Islanders!
There’s a habit of calling one another ‘Erbert at Carrington these days - and Les Chapman’s young assistant Brandon is believed to be behind the epidemic. Here, the butter-wouldn’t-melt-looking Brandon is doing a spot of boot stretching to ensure any new footwear doesn’t rub or cause blisters. Nice one, ‘Erbert!
With lunch eaten and the various fitness and rehab sessions over, there were just a few of the lads still around as club snapper Sharon Latham headed back to her luxury office. Dedryck Boyata informs Omar Elabdellaoui (who seems set to run the shortest hurdle sprint of all-time) that he’s discovered Omar is the only City player to have every vowel in his surname - unless you know of another, of course....
