Fuentes-Nieto brings over a decade of elite-level expertise in player conditioning to Charlotte FC’s inaugural season
CHARLOTTE—In its inaugural training camp, Charlotte FC roster has been put through its paces by Head Coach Miguel Ángel Ramírez and his highly experienced backroom staff.
Assistant coaches Mikel Antia and Christian Lattanzio have been impressing the finer points of Coach Ramirez’s game model, Andy Quy is keeping the goalkeepers attuned to the club’s possession-based philosophy, and First Team Video Analyst Luis Piedrahita has provided empirical data to ensure the extra one percent is being utilized.
One of the most important members of the technical staff, however, is the man who is preparing the players for the physical rigors of Major League Soccer: Head Fitness Coach Cristóbal Fuentes-Nieto.
“Physically, MLS is a very demanding league,” says Fuentes-Nieto, who worked alongside Ramirez at Brazilian top flight club Internacional. “Conditioning at training camp has been intense, but not more so than the regular season. Keeping that intensity high throughout the season will be one of the keys to success in competition.”
The Spanish fitness coach has worked at the elite level for 12 seasons, with much of his experience coming in his homeland at high-profile teams including Tenerife, Alcorcón, Cultural Leonesa and Granada.
“The job of the fitness coach is to optimize the players’ physical condition for their individual characteristics and the head coach's game model, and to minimize the incidence of injuries,” says Fuentes-Nieto.
“Every day, I have meetings with the coaching staff and then direct or assist with the work in the gym and the training on the field.
“After that, I analyze the performances through the players’ tracking devices, which helps dictate the plan for the following days.”
Fuentes-Nieto, who first met Ramirez in Spain two years before joining his staff in Brazil, holds an integral role on match days and in training sessions.
“The Head Fitness Coach must have a very close relationship with the Head Coach, on a personal and professional level,” says Fuentes-Nieto.
“You must get to know the coach well, their preferences and methodologies, or it is impossible to prepare the team for what the game model demands of them.
“And it is equally important to know the players well. Each one has an individual profile both in training and in competition, and not everyone needs the same kind of training.”
Conditioning regimes will vary by player and position, and Fuentes-Nieto must take into account the disparate backgrounds of players arriving from different leagues and parts of the world.
“Of course, individual circumstances are key aspects to take into account during pre-season, but in the first two weeks of training camp, we had a broader vision on training,” he says.
“We have used our analysis to develop a deeper knowledge of each player, which has helped us move on to the next phase. We consider the specific physical demands of our game model, and the respective metabolic and mechanical demands of each position within it.”
Fuentes-Nieto admits that he has been too busy to get properly acquainted with his new home, but he is thrilled to be a part of Charlotte FC’s inaugural campaign.
“I came to Charlotte for the same reasons as Miguel: it’s a unique project with lots of potential, and the growth of MLS is very exciting,” says Fuentes-Nieto.
“I hope to get to know the city a little better when I get some time off, but what I have seen so far is wonderful. My favorite part of the city is, without a doubt, the stadium. I am really looking forward to the first game!
“It will be a tough season and we need to be well prepared. It’s vital that players and staff are giving 100%, so that we can compete at the level that everyone wants throughout the season.”
