Boss on the first few days of pre-season training
Manager Steven Pressley feels pre-season is an opportunity to mould his squad in preparation for a challenging year ahead in League One.The Cod Army returned to pre-season training late last week and have already got down to business with the players being put through their paces ahead of the pre-season friendly against Liverpool on Wednesday 13th July.
“We are pleased with their attitudes,” said the boss. “I don’t read into the early stages of pre-season training but the most important thing is the application and attitude of the squad at this stage.
“They have all shown a desire to improve their fitness and they have all come back in reasonably good condition. They have all followed their off season programme and have they have all come back with a body percentage in the parameters that I spoke to them about.
“In that respect, I was pleased. There is a lot of hard work ahead and difficult sessions. Ultimately it is about moulding the group, not just physically but mentally for what is a gruelling season.
“I expect an application and a desire to get fitter. My job is to prepare them in the best possible way and form a good spirit within the group. If we work the players in a certain way then you are pushing them but bringing them together as well due to the sense of achievement following the pre-season schedule. That is important and we will work hard to do that.”
Town have been active so in the transfer market this summer, with several new faces joining the ranks. But the manager insisted he is not finished just yet and he wants to add more players to his squad ahead of the season opener at Northampton next month.
He continued: “It will take time for the new players to adapt to certain aspects that I ask of them. Obviously the players that I worked with last season, they understand my demands and what I expect from them every day that we train.
“The new players are coming in to impress and slowly but surely they will understand how we train and the standards that we set. They have all come back and they are eager to impress.
“I don’t read too much into early parts of pre-season but come the first game of the season, we will be ready to go.
“We are still a number of players away from having a competitive squad. We need to recruit several new faces and get the right players in and possess the qualities required.”