Tour A To Z: Part 1

As the DHL Tour 2012 approaches, we cast an eye back over previous pre-seasons in our four-part A to Z feature. Click the main image to launch a gallery...

Air miles
Pre-season tours mean travelling. And lots of it. This year, for instance, the Reds will cover more than 23,000 miles as the team visits South Africa, China, Norway, Sweden and Germany. The squad travels in comfort, though: it’s important footballers get plenty of rest and can stretch out in style on long trips.

Back to work
Players may travel halfway around the world and take in the odd local landmark, but the pre-season tour is no holiday. Heat and humidity (especially in Asia) make life difficult on the pitch, while training sessions are more intense than at any other point in the season. There’s nowhere to hide, either: things like heart-rate and distance covered during a session are monitored closely and fed back to the club’s top sports science analysts.

Chicharito
The Little Pea was the star attraction in 2010 and made an instant impact, scoring on his debut against the MLS All-Stars. He then took centre-stage in Guadalajara as he returned to Mexico to help open his former club’s new stadium. Last year, Americans were desperate to see him again, but a bizarre training-ground injury sustained in New York (concussion from heading a ball) meant he never made it onto the pitch.

Debuts
Although not official debuts, many players have worn the United shirt for the first time on tour. The likes of Ji-sung Park, Michael Owen, Ashley Young, David De Gea, Chris Smalling and Phil Jones all had their maiden taste of Reds action during pre-season, while Shinji Kagawa and Nick Powell are set to do the same later this month. Gary Neville told ManUtd.com: “Tours are a great way to introduce new players to the club. You can guarantee that by the end of it they’ll feel like they’ve been a United player for a long time.”

Earthquake
In 2005, right in the middle of United’s game against Kashima Antlers, an earthquake rocked Tokyo... and the National Stadium. The players didn’t feel a thing at ground level, but ManUtd.com journalist Gemma Thompson recalls: “I turned to my colleague from MUTV and said: 'That's not the wind, is it?' as the press box started to shake. It was definitely one of the more bizarre experiences I’ve had reporting on United."

Foundation
The club’s charity arm, the Manchester United Foundation, plays a big role on tour. At each destination, the Foundation, often with first-team players in tow, visit community centres and participate in projects designed to help underprivileged children. Seeing their heroes in the flesh invariably lifts spirits. The players enjoy it, too. “Being able to make a difference or put a smile on a child’s face is so rewarding,” Rio Ferdinand said.

Golf
Whenever the players are granted a rare day off, many head to a local golf course for 18 holes. Or, in the case of the da Silva twins in 2011, a sporting education. The Brazilian twins were hilarious as they hacked their way around a few holes in Seattle. At one point, Fabio came within a whisker of hitting his brother with a wayward chip. At the other end of the scale, Wayne Rooney, Jonny Evans and Michael Carrick are always near the top of the leaderboards.