Booking a sports tour abroad is an exciting opportunity for any team, but for the team manager, it also comes with a long list of responsibilities.

A sports tour is not only about choosing a destination and confirming travel dates. It involves players, coaches, families, club expectations, documents, schedules, transport, accommodation, meals, training facilities, friendly matches, safety, communication and the overall experience of the group.

When teams think about a sports tour, the focus naturally falls on what happens on the pitch.

Training sessions, friendly matches, tactical work and performance goals tend to shape the way a tour is planned and evaluated. These are, after all, the visible parts of the experience. They are measurable, structured and easy to define.

But ask players a few months later what they remember most, and the answers are often different.

They talk about the moments between sessions.