Dundee boss John Brown insists a bit of rest and relaxation at the right times can help his players rocket up the Championship table.
The Dark Blues manager is busy preparing his squad for another tough away game in the league this weekend and revealed that striking the right balance between working his players too hard and keeping them sidelined for their own good has become a key part of his job this term.
For instance, Bomber confirmed that striker Craig Beattie did not train on Monday after his tireless shift at Central Park on Saturday but featured on Tuesday, while the likes of midfielder Gavin Rae did train on Monday but took the reserves on Tuesday.
With those situations just a flavour of the kind of man management required, Brown knows that keeping his key players fit could well be a difference-maker when it comes to the promotion race this season.
“We’ve got to manage them right and it’s what you do on the Saturday that matters,” he said.
“I always find when you get to a certain age it’s about managing your body. The rest is as important as the training as you get older, and it’s about keeping a freshness.
“You need all your players going into the games as though it was their last game, as though it might be their last time they ever kick a ball. With the older boys, you have to manage that.”
Brown reckons Beattie is already starting to show signs of being a valuable asset to have this season, despite critics suggesting the former Scotland forward could struggle for fitness prior to his move to Dens Park.
The 29-year-old barely kicked a ball when he signed for St Johnstone last season, but two goals in his last two games as a Dundee player has pleased Brown no end.
“It was another game under Craig’s belt on Saturday and he scored a fantastic goal,” he added.
“He’s still coming on but he’s a presence. If he can stay through the middle, high up the park, he can take the ball in and brush off centre halves, so it’s a good presence for us to have.
“He’s a strong lad and he’s experienced, and that will go a long way. He’s got two great goals in the last two games so hopefully that will continue.”
Brown was also delighted with the contribution Saturday’s other goal-scorer, Ryan Conroy, made in Fife at the weekend and has challenged him to continue in the same vein.
He concluded: “I’ve been encouraging him to get into the final third, get into the goalmouth areas, and his dead balls are excellent too.
“When we get corner kicks or free-kicks, he can put in a great ball for us and that’s an area that we want to try and get a few goals from this season whether it’s direct from free-kicks or laying it on a plate for somebody.
“He’s a good lad and you can see his quality in training every day. It’s down to Ryan how far he wants to take it.
“He’s got all the ability you need, it’s that hunger and desire and how far you are willing to push yourself. The goal he got on Saturday will give him added confidence.”