Manager Russ Wilcox has a series of fitness tests lined up to make sure the squad have kept in shape during their summer break.
The team will undergo a day of intense fitness next Tuesday (June 24) before returning for pre-season training on Thursday, July 3.But Wilcox believes the day should run smoothly and is hoping that all of his players will come back in good shape.
“In my day you wouldn’t do a lot of training, your pre-season was to get fit and nowadays they come back in better so that’s why I’ve shortened pre-season a touch,” Wilcox told The Iron Player.
“We’ll do some testing next Tuesday, there will probably be a yo-yo test but we’re expecting everybody to come back in good shape.
“They’re a very disciplined squad who look after themselves and manage themselves really well so I’m not expecting any problems.”
Whilst Wilcox is expecting to then wave goodbye to the squad after next Tuesday, before the start of pre-season training on July 3, he has stated that any players not in shape will be required to begin pre-season training early.
The players have however had fitness programmes to follow over the summer which is why Wilcox isn’t expecting anyone to come back out of shape.
He continued: “Anyone that doesn’t pass the fitness tests will start back early, without a doubt.
“I don’t envisage that at all though because it wakes you up a little bit over the summer to make sure you look after yourself and make sure you hit that target.
“They’ll be seven or eight games for them to have a go at later on in pre-season and we’re looking forward to that. We’ll mix the youth team in that as well because it’s good for their development too.”
Included in the pre-season schedule will be a trip to Champneys Springs Health Resort in Leicestershire which will act as a team bonding session for the squad ahead of the upcoming campaign.
Wilcox hasn’t confirmed when exactly it will take place but is stated that it’s something he’s looking forward to.
“We’re taking the players to Champneys which I know Nigel Adkins used to do when he was here,” he added
“Myself and Lee Turnbull had a visit down there a couple of weeks ago, and there’s some great facilities so we’re going to spend three days there and it will act as a good chance to bond the new lads in with everybody else.”
See much more from Russ Wilcox on The Iron Player.