Aston Villa boss Tim Sherwood says that he has allowed an independent training regime for captain Ron Vlaar. The injury prone defender has a lot of quality that will help Villa avoid relegation this season.
It could also potentially help them lift the first FA Cup title after more than six decades. However, Sherwood is aware that players like Vlaar need to be fit for the important matches. The 30-year-old has started in only 15 league matches this season, but with proper guidance he can be nursed through the end of the campaign. As a result, Sherwood is ready to employ the same tactics used with former Tottenham defender Ledley King.
During his spell as one of the coaches at Tottenham, Sherwood was aware that King could not train regularly along with other teammates. This would result in swelling up of his knee making him unable to play in the weekend’s match. As a result, he was given his own training regime in order to keep him fit and ready for the matches alone. By following such a strict regime, King was able to get a couple of years more from his career than he would have otherwise been forced because of injuries. Vlaar is set to get a similar treatment at Villa Park.
“What I’ve seen from him is an experienced player who wants to get himself back fit first and foremost.I’ve told him to manage his body.If he doesn’t feel like it one day he needs to pull out.The last thing I want to do is push him to the limit and him get injured again. He’ll need to make sure that he stays in.It’s down to them to manage themselves.You have to treat them as men and let them do it themselves,” said Sherwood.