‘What They Actually Do’ – Leeds United Fitness Team Win Player Praise From Ex-Boss | OneFootball

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Former Leeds United boss Simon Grayson has lauded the fitness coaches and medical staff at Elland Road for their management of Dominic Calvert-Lewin following his long-term hamstring injury last season.

Calvert-Lewin joined Leeds on a free transfer last summer following the expiration of his Everton contract, a move that attracted attention, with interest from Manchester United also surprising Richard Keys.

After a standout 2020/21 campaign in which he struck 16 goals, injuries repeatedly disrupted Calver-Lewin’s progress and prevented him from matching those early heights.

Even last season under David Moyes, his output was limited, scoring just three goals and providing two assists in 26 appearances, while a hamstring injury ruled him out entirely between February and April.

This season, however, Calvert-Lewin has rediscovered his sharpness at Elland Road, reaching double figures for goals and adding an assist, while former Leeds players have highlighted both his impact on the squad and his commitment to the team.

That form has also seen the 28-year-old emerge as the Premier League’s leading English goalscorer this campaign.

Grayson is of the view that meticulous behind-the-scenes management has been key to Calvert-Lewin’s handling, emphasising the careful balance of training intensity, match minutes and recovery after his injury.

The former Whites boss added that workload, substitutions and preparation are being carefully monitored, with the fitness team playing a key role in managing the 28-year-old to keep him fresh and ensure he is not overworked.

Grayson said on LUTV (10:47): “It’d be interesting what they actually do behind the scenes with him, because when you’ve had a player that’s been out injured, like at Everton, the period that he’s had, and he comes to a new club, does he train as much as the other players?

“Does he not have as much workload?

“They manage the minutes sometimes.

“He played 90-odd minutes [against Nottingham Forest], but there’s other games he has been taken off.

“I think the people behind the scenes as well play a big part in this, the fitness coaches, etc. because they are managing his load and not putting his body through extra sessions when maybe he doesn’t need that.”

Last summer, the centre forward arrived in Yorkshire amid doubts, with a Leeds legend questioning whether the Whites’ recruitment model had fully delivered as he did not see Calvert-Lewin as a capable goalscorer.

Since then, the 28-year-old has helped propel Leeds to 16th in the table, maintaining a six-point cushion above the relegation zone.

He will hope to make another telling contribution tonight when Leeds travel to Chelsea – match preview here – looking to surprise the Blues.