Graham Alexander has been left impressed by the shape of his players after the squad was reunited for a pre-season fitness test on Wednesday.
Ahead of Fleetwood’s second season in the Football League, the squad reported for their scheduled fitness test before returning next Wednesday when the gruelling pre-season period begins.
Alexander was delighted to have regrouped with his squad and has been left happy with the condition his team has come back in and went on to say that most of the players have improved on their fitness levels from last campaign.
“The lads in general have really looked after themselves and some of the lads have improved on the fitness tests that we did at the end of last season, which is fantastic.” Alexander said, “There is three or four boys who are going to do a little bit extra just to catch so when we start proper on Wednesday everyone will be on an even level and we can do all the work we have got planned.
“It was great to have all the lads back in today, they were obviously keen to see each other and talk about their summers and it was good to have everyone back in. It was a good day and the lads really equipped themselves very well and we are pleased with the response.”
The 41-year-old and his backroom staff have been aided by the use of technology to judge and compare the fitness levels of the squad as well as being a helping tool to help the team prepare over the next month and a half ahead of the new season.
“Sometimes you can tell where you are when you are doing a test when one is struggling and one is flying but when you get down to it, it is good to have the records of where people are and you can compare them and it is the easiest way to tell who has looked after themselves or whether they are going to be fit enough to do the work that is required from them when the season starts.
The Fleetwood squad also brought the foreign temperatures back with them from their summer holidays and were greeted by humid temperatures upon their return to training, but Alexander insists nothing will deter his side and the hard work begins now.
“I have just been speaking to a couple of the lads and you can guarantee on the first day of pre-season it is going to be baking hot, it is just sods law. You have to get the work done, there’s no short cuts you have to work hard, you get the fitness levels and then you get the rewards from that, that’s good football and hopefully winning games and hopefully that is the end game for us.”
Pre-season has started early for some of Alexander’s players in a bid to improve their fitness levels, but when the full squad returns on Wednesday, the ‘real work will begin’ as the team begin their preparations to build on their first season in the Football League.
“That is when the majority of the lads start (Wednesday), some of the lads have started now to catch up and the main group start Wednesday and that is when the real work will begin to prepare for the new season.”