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The impact of Ebbsfleet’s new head of performance is already there to see this season.
Lee Taylor joined Ebbsfleet at the end of June as part of manager Dennis Kutrieb’s new management team.
With responsibility for all areas of sports science and strength and conditioning, he’s already had a major impact according to Bobby-Joe Taylor.
Taylor missed the start of the season due to a hamstring injury but he credited the club’s head of performance with his swift return.
“I’m going to give a special mention to LT, our sports scientist,” said Taylor. “At the start of the season I picked up an injury against Hastings, just a micro-tear in my hamstring.
“I was feeling really fit at the time but he made sure that my head didn’t drop afterwards. He said it didn’t matter and that it was just a blip, and he’s worked with me every single day.
“That’s meant doing the extra hours, first in in the morning and then last out which goes to benefit me. Some people don’t like it but if you buy into it and believe it then you can benefit.”
Bobby-Joe Taylor scored the winner for 10-man Ebbsfleet against Hungerfor d last weekend.
It’s the second time this season Fleet have been reduced to 10 men – and they’ve avoided defeat both times.
“I give Lee credit for Saturday because even with 10 men I could have carried on running,” said the 25-year-old Fleet defender. “Thankfully I popped up and scored that winning goal probably through sheer fitness, so credit to him. I feel the fittest I’ve felt in a very long time.
“We’ve got some quality players and the fitness we’ve got from being full-time benefits us. I feel as fit as anything after 90 minutes.”
It’s not just the fitness side of things that Bobby-Joe Taylor has been impressed with this season.
He’s loving Kutrieb’s passing style of play – and feels it’s bringing the best out of him.
“When I didn’t play the first two games I was sitting in the stands watching them and it looked so enjoyable,” he said. “Now being in the team, it feels the same way.
“That’s what excited me the most about coming here - the manager and the style of play that he brings, and the confidence he gives to the boys.
“He tells everybody to be brave, it gives us all a boost and we’re not afraid to get on the ball. Credit to the boys to buy into what he brings to the club and hopefully it leads us in the right direction.
“Everyone in the dressing room will tell you that it excites everybody. In this division and the one above, having played in both, you’re not really used to it.
“A lot of teams might start that way but as the pressure builds on people they try to change it. But we’re drummed in here that we want to try and play. Sometimes you can get caught out but you have to keep buying into it and everybody knows what they are doing.
“We’ve got a good group of lads here who can all handle the football.
“We don’t want to get carried away, four games in, we could be in a better position.
“But the main thing is we keep plugging away, ticking off the games and picking up points. We know what we want to achieve in the dressing room.”
