What kind of competition are we facing? Planning for a tournament like a World Cup with a national team is different from planning the season for a club team.

In preparation for a tournament the starting point for a player may be different to that of his teammate. Therefore it is important to individualize the workloads to prevent injuries and maximize each player's performance.

There are two key aspects to consider when planning for:

1) Traveling: we know that traveling significantly affects a player's performance. It is crucial to plan properly when to travel but also the time of the day in order to maximize the recovery time.

2) Time difference: TD impacts sleep and circadian rhythms. Arrival ahead of time is important to allow the team to adjust before the competition.

Preseason is the time to build conditioning but also is to deliver key messages to the team.

Tactical understanding of the game is crucial to build CONFIDENCE. Positive results always increase confidence.

During the season take the competition as a reference point to plan the week. The time between games is the time the team has to recover and absorb specific information related to the next opponent.

Planning the content of the week ahead of time in great detail gives an advantage structuring the training session. It is important to keep a good balance of tactical, physical and technical elements to maintain players' fitness and keep them fresh mentally.