Pre-season pleasure 

Malpas enjoys having the boot on the other foot

 

Under the watchful eye: Malpas is making sure the Town boys work hard this pre-season

Maurice Malpas has until this weekend to decide which 20 players he'll be taking to pre-season training in Austria next week.

 

And after years of pre-season 'hell' himself, the Town boss admitted today that he's quite enjoying putting the boys through their paces.

 

"The players have come back in good nick.

 

"They had a hard time on Saturday morning and yesterday we gave them a marked run - now they've got a couple of days to rest before Austria.

 

"I'd be concerned if players said they weren't struggling. It's a case of applying themselves."

 

Malpas also told us he's been impressed with the improvements made by Barry Corr, who spent a lot of last season on the bench due to a recurring shoulder injury.

 

 

Corr blimey!: Barry's fitness had him leading the pack at Town's first pre-season training session on Friday

 

And as the final pre-season preparations are put in to place, Malpas has three main points to focus on in Austria.

 

"Fitness, team spirit, and organisation," was the Town boss' simple message.

 

"We have got some tough matches planned against the likes of Steaua Bucharest, but it doesn't matter who you're playing against as long as the boys work together.

 

"They are all training hard to gain their fitness, and team spirit will take them a long way."

 

Mel Turner-Wright