DUBLIN’S ALL-IRELAND WINNING footballer Philly McMahon was the first signing made by Shamrock Rovers manager Trevor Croly in November.
The Ballymun Kickhams player owns BK Strength and Conditioning, a high performance gym that specialises in athlete training and strength building.
Croly signed him up as a member of his backroom staff to add an extra, aerobic dimension to a side that failed to defend their 2011 league title last season.
Speaking to the Rovers website, McMahon says he has been impressed with how the players have taken to the new pre-season training regime.
He said, “The lads have come with a great attitude and have been working really hard. I’m looking forward to seeing how that translates on the pitch.”
McMahon, who was a sub when Dublin beat Kerry to the Sam Maguire in 2011, explained how the type of training he provides differs to what most footballers in Ireland are used to.
He commented, “Most of these lads haven’t done strength and conditioning so their [levels] would have been very low. I was surprised that they were in decent shape – one or two, maybe not – but they were in good nick but there was room for improvement.
My objective is to make them move better. It would be different to a player going to a commercial gym… they would come in and do some mobility work and prehabilitation.
“Depending on the stage of the season it would depend on what lifts, and work, they would do.”
McMahon added, “I got them in after Christmas and their aerobic capacity has really increased since then.
“The difference between what the lads would have done previously is that they would be out running and getting slogged. That wasn’t the case this time, we looked after the bodies.”
Rovers open up their league campaign away to Stephen Kenny’s Dundalk on Friday, 8 March.
