Torquay United Fans Forum

Professional football players (males) should have about 4-6% body fat to have an effective power to weight ratio. If they lose weight too fast, they are at risk of losing muscle mass rather than fat. This is counterproductive. They should have their %body fat measured often and focus on that (body composition) and not simply their weight. ^.^

As a professional sportsman if he's even slightly overweight of course it's an issue.

I certainly wouldn't call it an "issue"

he might be slightly overweight, but he is just big built

ML and team will have him fitter and better than ever in time for the new season Im sure, and then like ML says he'l be unstopable!

Rene Howe shed over 20 lbs during the course of last season and it was starting to show in second half of lasts eason, and he was clearly getting quicker, and more mobile.

Rene Howe's injuries problems were a lot more likely down to the fact , he had not played that much competative football over the last few seasons, apart from the odd loan move here and there.

Royalgull your post is spot on. Rene did lose some weight during the season, but he also missed games through indiscipline and injury, and losing weight is not the same thing as being as fit as you can possibly be.

If Rene can keep his weight down and improve his strength and fitness, I've no doubt we will see an even better player next season.

Rene is a big guy but his build looks naturally stocky and so I'm not sure how easy it'll be for him to shed loads of weight nor do I think it neccesarily will help him.

I wouldn't quite go as far as ML and say he has Premiership quality but he certainly has Championship quality. His touch, link up play and finishing is simply superb for this level.I am a huge fan of his and think if we actually had some proper wingers he could get 25-30 goals in a season in League 2 easy. He never gets any service which is why so many of his goals were individual brilliance follwed by a ridiculously good finish.

Playing up front on your own is a demanding ask and as such it took it's toll on him during the end of what has been his busiest season in terms of matches of his whole career. Hopefully he can work on strengthening his troublesome muscles, we can get him some help up there so we can rest him occasionally with confidence in the replacement and we have him back fit and firing next season.

Hi All,

Have read a posting in the OS this morning about Rene On Song

http://www.torquayunited.com/page/News/ ... 78,00.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Reading between the lines I wonder if ML is implying that Rene's weight is the cause of some of his injuries.

Does anyone else feel the same or is it just me.

AWJ.