Mauricio Pochettino explains the grueling Gacon test as Chelsea players set for intense training

Chelsea players who want it all easy and chilled are about to get the shock of their lives with Mauricio Pochettino about to come through the doors at the Cobham Training Centre.

Pochettino wants his players to work hard, work to their limits, and give absolutely all they have got in training, in the gym, and most importantly on the pitch, and his training methods sound gruelling and intense – but they also work.

The Telegraph have an article out today detailing some of this based on comments Pochettino wrote in his book, and also player testimonials.

One example used is of Rickie Lambert, who of course went on to play for England and Liverpool and have a great career.

Pochettino put him through his paces to get there, particularly using the Gacon test – a gruelling intermittent shuttle run.

“To start with, the players have 45 seconds to cover 150 metres, with 15 seconds to rest,” explained Pochettino in his book. “In each subsequent 45-second rep, they have to run 6.25 metres further, with the intensity steadily increasing.”

Southampton players hated the Gacon test and, upset with the amount of running Pochettino was demanding on Mondays after games, Rickie Lambert went to see his new coach to request a relaxation. He was listened to politely and the pair shook hands.

“I went out [of the office] and went back to the lads made up, thinking, ‘yep, just done it for you boys, next Monday gonna be sorted’,” the striker said. “So, I played the game [the next weekend], 90 minutes again, come in Monday, not only did we do 12, we did 24 runs – 24 runs and I just knew, I was running around laughing and almost crying and I knew what he was doing, he was breaking me and he did, he broke me.”