We're well into the up and downs of the international break.Some of Chelsea's stars have enjoyed some play time in the form of minutes for their various national team already.
This period has already seen excitement and disappointment for those who have not been given any time to rest, but what of those that have been given? Thomas Tuchel made his plans known from the onset of this period before players start to resume to the Bridge to prepare to face Brentford United.
"There will be long walks in the forest around here [with my dog] which is beautiful," Thomas Tuchel said ahead of Middlesbrough. "Hopefully, the weather stays like this with sunshine. I'll be doing the normal thing: taking care of the children, taking them to school, picking them up. Being around them is the best distraction I can have.
"I learned to do this. I had to learn. I found it very hard in the beginning as a professional coach. I struggled a lot with it, to not be able to switch off, to not think about it night and day. It is always like this. If you love something so much and have a passion for football, and then it becomes your profession, it is not at five or six o'clock that you leave and drive home and tomorrow you're finished."There are still games on, thoughts about players and what to do. It is sometimes still like it but I have trained myself that it is not good to stay in the process and in the mind and thinking process too long. Everybody needs to disconnect, breathe and see clearer.
"I had to learn it for myself and I am still training myself. I need to be disciplined in it and like I said my dogs and kids help as a natural source of inspiration and enjoyment to calm down. You have to take care of yourself to not get totally lost in it."
Some members of Thomas Tuchel's squad have followed different paths to get a good rest from the hectic schedules and bustle of football.
Trevoh Chalobah was quick to travel to New York to visit sites and even attended Madison Square Garden to watch an National Basketball Association match between the New York Knicks and the Utah Jazz at the beginning of the week. Hakim Ziyech travelled with Romelu Lukaku. They went together to take in a match of their own as they watched the Brooklyn Nets at the Barclays Centre and participated in the NBA challenge.
National Basket Ball CHALLENGE FEATURING HAKIM ZIYECH & ROMELU LUKAKU
Ruben Loftus-Cheek went to enjoy the sites at Dubai, but appears to have travelled with James Ralph of Athletes Edge, to maintain a great deal of strength and conditioning work with morning's out on a pitch and some time in the gym on an afternoon. There has also been time spent in fancy restaurants.
Newcastle United have also been in Dubai during this period and based at NAS Sports complex, likely where Loftus-Cheek is also training.
Ross Barkley has used the facility before, while Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United have also made the trip for warm weather training in the past.
The NAS Sports complex is home to a number of FIFA-standard football pitches, an indoor stadium, IAAF-standard athletics track, diving pool, as well as impressive recovery technology including an altitude chamber and cryo chamber.
Marcus Bettinelli appears to have relaxed with his family and Ross Barkley has kept on his fitness by running in the gym and enjoyed some nicer weather. Chelsea's injured stars are sure to have been continuing their rehabilitation in order to give them their best chance of making the clash against Brentford upon the Premier League's return.
Thiago Silva even managed to get some time away on his Brazil duties to receive a special honour in his home country. The 37-year-old saw a mould of his feet place on the Maracana Walk of Fame alongside legends such as Pele, Ronaldinho, Lionel Messi and Franz Beckenbauer.
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