What is the Gacon test and why Mauricio Pochettino might bring it to Manchester United

Mauricio Pochettino could subject Manchester United players to the Gacon fitness test should he take over at Old Trafford after Michael Carrick is fired, according to earlier reports. The drill is an intermittent shuttle-run exercise Pochettino has used during his managerial career.

Pochettino is described as a manager who believes in heavy training both before and throughout the season to keep players in top physical shape. Morgan Schneiderlin, who played under Pochettino at Southampton, summed up the Argentine’s approach with the line: "cry in the week to enjoy the weekend,". Reports say Manchester United have shown an apparent lack of running under Carrick during preseason, and that Pochettino’s methods include the demanding Gacon test.

The Gacon test is an intermittent shuttle sprint that became familiar to Spurs players who worked under Pochettino. During the drill players run in a horseshoe-like arc or U-shape around the perimeter of a pitch.

Each stage of the test requires running a greater distance while the time allotted for each stage remains constant at 45 seconds. The full protocol as described involves 25 phases covering a total of 5,000 metres, a distance few players have been able to complete.

Pochettino reportedly required his teams to complete 12 of these taxing drills in training sessions. The exercise is characterised in the report as a gruelling, high-intensity intermittent aerobic fitness and mental stamina assessment.

The article links Pochettino’s use of such routines to his teams’ style, noting he wants sides to play with intensity, win the ball high up the pitch and press hard, and that exceptional fitness has been associated with his best teams. It also states his decision to accept the Paris Saint-Germain job in January 2021 "appeared to be a blunder in part because of this" and that the PSG squad was "never a good fit for Mauricio Pochettino’s motto and his teams’ identities."

Man United are reportedly finalising his appointment as their next manager; the report says that should he take over he will use routines he has preferred throughout his management career to test his recently acquired, underdeveloped team, including the Gacon test.