An iing phenomenon highlights just how muapoli's status has ged in Italian football.
This ge was most evident on the m of July 2nd, the official opening day of Napoli's summer training camp. Outside the gates of the Konami Trainier, a rge crowd of media reporters had gathered.
In previous seasons, only a handful of local journalists would e to report oeam's return to training. But this year was markedly different—far more reporters had arrived, some even traveling from major cities like Rome and Min.
Napoli simply didn't have this kind of influen the past.
Yet here they were at least twenty reporters camped outside the trainier, eagerly awaiting the pyers' arrival.
Though the official start date was July 2nd, the pyers were required to arrive in Castel Volturno a day early. This detail, apparently leaked, drew more media ihan anyone had anticipated.
Gao Shen arrived earlier than everyone else but refused all interview requests at the gate. Onside, he instructed the staff to provide refreshments and umbrels for the reporters to help them ehe sweltering summer heat.
This small gesture won him instant favor among the media. It was clear that this act of goodwill would likely earn him some positive press ce iurn.
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As usual, Gao Shen and his coag staff were the first to arrive at the trainier. They began the day with a meeting to discuss pns and assign tasks.
There was only one majoal for the day: to evaluate the pyers' physical dition after their summer vacations, especially those who had participated in the European Championship.
To facilitate this, Napoli had implemented a prehensive physical examination system. At the suggestion of fitness coatonio Pintus, Gao Shen had persuaded the club to i in five state-of-the-art sports treadmills from the Italian pany ed. These maes, along with the necessary renovations to the medical room, had cost Napoli €200,000—a hefty expehat had pained sp direarino.
Even Gao Shen himself wasirely sure how these maes worked, but he was intrigued to see them in a.
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One by ohe pyers arrived at the Konami Trainier.
They were met with a lively se outside: reporters patiently waiting under umbrels and even a growing number of fans who had e to catch a glimpse of their favorite pyers.
Following Gao Shen's instrus, the staff at the gates ehat the pyers entered directly without stopping to give interviews. While the media respected this boundary, they made up for it by snapping as many photos as possible.
The pyers were in high spirits, visibly energized by the newfound attention. Some even stopped to pose for photos, reveling in the lively atmosphere. For a club like Napoli, this kind of media frenzy was unheard of just a couple of years ago.
Ohe pyers were ihe journalists and fans were io observe the team's physical examination process, a strategic move by Gao Shen to build goodwill and transparency.
Last season, Napoli had a notably low number of injuries, with the pyers maintaining excellent physical fitness overall. However, holidays ofte indulgeing and drinking, which could impact the pyers' ditioning. As expected, the medical evaluations revealed that many pyers were not quite in peak shape.
After the physical exams were plete, the media and fans were politely asked to leave, and the pyers were escorted to a newly renovated room adjat to the medical facilities.
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The room housed five devices that resembled treadmills but were much more sophisticated.
In addition to the standard treadmill handrails, these maes had two arc-shaped arms extending from the main sole, with wearable equipment, including a vest-like apparatus, hanging from them. This was the advanced sports treadmill system from ed.
Pintus took charge of the testing.
The pyers were divided into groups of five. Each pyer stood on a treadmill while staff fitted them with the vests, which were equipped with multiple sensors to collect various physiological data, such as heart rate and blood metrics.
A mask was also pced over each pyer's mouth and hough it initially looked intimidating, the pyers quickly realized they could breathe normally.
This treadmill system, inally designed for medical use, measured over 30 physiological parameters, including respiratory ventition, oxygen ption, carbon dioxide levels, a rate. The data was transmitted iime to ed's metabolid ECG monit system, providing a prehensive analysis of each pyer's physical dition.
Based oa collected, Pintus, Bueura, and the team doctors would develop personalized training pns for each pyer.
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The first group of pyers stepped onto the treadmills, and the coag staff, including Gao Shen, watched ily.
For many of them, this was their first time seeing such advaeology. While the equipment had been proven effective in the medical field, its application in sports was still erritory. Whether it would deliver the expected results remaio be seen.
Football pyers' bodies are stantly evolving, and their physical data o be updated regurly to adjust training pns accly. Even Pintus, who had reehe purchase, admitted he was cautiously optimistic but irely sure of its effectiveness.
"Do you think this thing will actually work?" Zidane whispered to Gao Shen, his skepticism evident.
As a former pyer of the highest caliber, Zidane was aced to trusting his instincts over data. Like many top athletes, he found it hard to pce full faith in sd teology.
"These maes are just tools," Gao Shen replied with a calm smile. "The data they provide is helpful, but it's only one piece of the puzzle. In the end, we have to validate everything oraining ground and make decisions based on a bination of factors."
Zidane nodded, beginning to uand.
"Zizou," Gao Shen added with a grin, "you o trust sce! Have you heard about the Min Lab? They have a mae where pyers simply jump, and it tell you their physical dition. Ours, oher hand, is a full treadmill with masks, vests, and everything. Eae costs €40,000! pared to Min's glorified scale, which do you think is more accurate?"
Zidane couldn't help but ugh. "That's not really a fair parison, is it?"
Still, the mention of the Min Lab brought back memories. The facility had gained worldwide reition after A's veteran pyers performed exceptionally well during their 2007 Champions League victory. It was a testament to how cutting-edge teology could prolong careers.
Gao Shen's point was clear: as football evolved, high-tech equipment and data analysis would bee indispensable. Young pyers would achieve success earlier, and disciplined professionals would enjoy longer careers, all thanks to advas in training and recovery methods.
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By the end of the day, all pyers had pleted their treadmill tests.
The results showed that while most pyers weren't in ideal dition after the break, their overall fitness levels were still quite good, thanks in rge part to the team's youth. At an average age of just 21, Napoli still boasted the you squad in Serie A.
With pre-season trainio begin on July 2nd, the coag staff remained behind to prepare. The national team pyers would leave for the Olympi early August, while the rest of the squad focused on preparing for the Italian Super Cup against Inter Min.
Gao Shen couldn't help but think of Mourinho.
If history followed its inal path, Mourinho would reach the pinnacle of his career in Italy. But now, with Gao Shen's presehe ndscape had shifted. Mourinho's pointed remarks during his first press ference as Inter's head coach suggested he was eager to surpass Gao Shen aablish his dominance.
In the past, Mourinho and Inter had been untouchable in Serie A. But things were different nooli had risen to bee their fiercest petitor.
"The team's dition must be optimized by August 24th," Gao Shen instructed.
Both Pintus and Bueura nodded.
Their pn was clear: a rigorous summer training camp, followed by a mid-season "mini pre-season" during the winter break. This approach would help recharge the pyers and ehey remairong for the tter half of the campaign.
By bining pre-season preparation with injury prevention and physical ma, Gao Shen was fident Napoli could ehe grueling demands of a season peting on multiple fronts.
