La Liga outfit Getafe visit Highbury
Friday night’s final pre-season fixture before the new campaign is another important lesson for Town’s young players according to manager Graham Alexander.The Cod Army returned to Highbury for the first time on Tuesday night as they played host to Sean Dyche’s Burnley side.
They will now prepare to take on La Liga side Getafe ahead of the Club’s second season in England’s third tier.
Alexander said: “It’s a little bit of a different opponent to the norm but it will once again be a tough match. They are a good team and they are a La Liga side.
“It will be another important lesson for our young players. You can build up their confidence by playing easy games but then when the season starts they will have a big shock to their system.
‘What we have wanted to do throughout pre-season is show them how tough it will be and get them right up to speed and this is how you have to recover between each game to get ready for the next one. They are learning that day by day.
‘Results don’t count at this stage. Jose Mourinho was saying the other day about it being a false part of the year and it is. It is about preparing your players, preparing them physically, tactically and mentally.
‘We are focused on getting them ready for August 7th, the day before the season starts, so everybody is as fit as they can be and ready to play football because that is what it’s about.
“We will continue to do that but we know Friday will be a tough game. When the real stuff starts, we will be ready.”