Daley, who starred on the wing for Aston Villa and Wolves, believes that the physical demands of the game now require wide players with different attributes.

"I used to play as an out-and-out winger, but now they are few and far between," he told TheFA.com. "It was only at the end of my career I realised you had to be a hard-working right-sided or left-sided midfielder.

"The days of flair players on the wing are probably disappearing. Working up and down the pitch is a very difficult position to play. You have to be up and down, defending and attacking and everything else and it's very hard work."

Daley picks out current England star Keiron Dyer as a good example of the type of player who is suited to the demanding role.

"He has fantastic ability and his fitness levels are superb."

Now working as a specialist fitness coach, Daley saw highly-rated young England duo Luke and Stefan Moore during his time at the Aston Villa Academy and believes the brothers have the potential to go all the way.

He said: "If they can go on and develop they way they have been doing, they'll be a force. It's down to progression, like everything else."

On a personal note, Daley is relishing his new job at Sheffield United, looking after the players' fitness, after being appointed earlier this summer.

"It's a big job for me but one I'm really enjoying because I'm very eager. Their fitness levels have been absolutely outstanding and what's important for me now is to improve on what they've got. In one sense it's an easy job for me because they have immense levels so you know what standards have to be maintained."

How did the move into fitness work come about?

"It's something I've always been interested in, learning how the body works and it progressed from there," Daley explained.

"I've just completed my Sports Science degree at Coventry University. Whilst I was doing that I was doing the fitness coaching at Forest Green and I was working with the Academy at Villa.

 

"Over the last year I've been observing Jim Walker who's Head of Sports Science at Villa and learning from him. He's been very helpful and I really appreciate the things I've learned from him."

Daley has taken on the tough task of replacing Dean Riddle who did a fine job at Bramall Lane before being poached by Leeds.

Riddle earned credit for getting the Blades players in top condition last season as they reached the First Division Play-off final and the semi-finals of both the FA Cup and Worthington Cup.

Others may have found the prospect of taking over from Riddle a daunting one given the impressive job he did.

 

But Daley, capped seven times by England, maintains the situation could work in his favour. "It's a great foundation and we've got to try and better it. If we've got a team who can run for 85 minutes, my aim now is to try and make them run for 90 minutes."

It is only in recent years that English clubs have taken on board the idea of someone working exclusively on fitness, as Daley is well aware from his time as a player.

"When I was playing we had someone come in for pre-season but to actually employ someone full-time is a probably a new thing in this country.

"But in Italy and Spain it's a regular thing - they've been doing it for 10-15 years now. It's not only about fitness, it's about helping players avoid niggling little injuries. If that can be avoided, it goes a long way."

Nick Johnson

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Blades fitness Riddle - 9th May 2003