Sport · Swindon
Dan Butler calls for aggressive training as Swindon Town battles injury crisis
By Swindon Now Editorial Team · Published
Swindon Town defender Dan Butler says the squad must increase training intensity to build durability as they look to overcome a challenging injury-hit season.
Swindon Town defender Dan Butler has stressed that the squad must continue to train aggressively to build the necessary physical resilience to overcome the ongoing injury crisis that has hampered their season. The club has faced a significant challenge, with 21 different players suffering injuries during the current campaign. As the team prepares for their upcoming fixture against Walsall, they face the prospect of being without as many as nine players.
Despite the high number of absences, Butler, who has remained a consistent fixture in the starting line-up since his arrival at the club, insists that tempering training intensity is not the solution. Instead, he believes that maintaining a high standard of work is the only way to foster the required robustness for the rigours of League Two football.
"That is how you build durability: training properly, training aggressively, and it being as close to a game as it can be," Butler said. "I think that as soon as you start worrying about training, then you are in a bad spot. It is just about working hard. Believe it or not, injuries are sometimes caused by working too hard, but then the best way to fix them is by working hard."
Butler noted that the team is focusing on finding the right balance between preparation and recovery. For those available for selection, the priority remains a collective effort to improve standards on and off the pitch. He highlighted that the fit players must support their teammates on the sidelines, ensuring that those currently out of action remain integrated and involved with the group.
"It is a bit crazy the amount of injuries that we have had, but that is football, and I have been in changing rooms like this before," he added. "You just have to stick together, and there will be a time when most people are fit, and things will look a bit more positive. At the moment, it is just about the fit boys sticking together, and the injured boys trying to get back as soon as possible."
Swindon Town head into the weekend fixture looking to break a five-game winless run. Butler emphasised that team unity remains the primary focus while the club navigates this difficult period.
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