by Simon Wright

Created on: July 26, 2009

It's a ritual that we're familiar with at the start of each football season. Your favourite team will have lined up a series of pre season friendly matches prior to the start of the real season. These matches are called friendlies because there are no points at stake and they divide opinion with football fans. There are people who aren't bothered with football unless more than pride is at stake. However, there are others who love the chance to see how their team is shaping up for the league season and perhaps also the opportunity to get in a bit of travel if their team has arranged a foreign tour. For supporters of teams from lower divisions or low profile leagues, it can also be a wonderful opportunity to have a glamour team come to visit. The perfect example of this was when Cristiano Ronaldo made his debut for Real Madrid in Dublin against Shamrock Rovers. I'm sure the Shamrock Rovers players and fans will have cherished the opportunity to go up against a team of Real Madrid's stature!

Playing pre season friendlies, however, isn't just about arranging glamour ties to excite the fans or bring in extra revenue. There is also the necessity of giving players game time prior to the league kick off and the aim is to build up some match fitness and sharpness. The players will already have been through a rigorous pre season training programme, which will have included cross country runs, sprint drills and weight work, so they should have gained a basic level of fitness and lost any pounds that they gained over the off season weeks. However, all managers are agreed that there is no substitute for getting some games under your belt, in order to be properly prepared for the new season.

The results of pre season matches aren't necessarily that important, although it is always nice to win and score goals. Sometimes, though, a team may find that they are up against a team from another country whose season starts earlier. This will mean that the other team are probably further along their fitness programme and, consequently, you do see quite a lot of shock results. If we consider that Shamrock Rovers vs Real Madrid match, the Irish season was already in full swing so the Shamrock players will have been at a far more advanced level of conditioning and this can go some way to countering the talent chasm. Managers will judge the success of pre season friendlies, therefore, not just by results but also by how well their players are following instructions, how new partnerships are gelling, and by the amount of effort and fitness levels that their players are showing.

Where pre season friendlies are perhaps a bit more controversial is where there is suspicion that the choice of friendlies lined up has more to do with commercial factors rather than pure footballing factors. For example, Manchester United have had a recent habit of touring the Far East which a cynical person might suggest has a lot more to do with revenue opportunities in Asia than anything else. Still, it hasn't harmed their prospects and I suppose in this current economic climate we shouldn't begrudge any club that wants to maximise its revenue potential.

In summary, then, pre season friendlies are an integral and important part of the football calendar. At their best, they offer the dual benefits of preparing the team for the forthcoming season, whilst also whetting fans' appetites for the new season and giving them the chance to see visiting stars such as Ronaldo, Rooney, or Messi!

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