We are a few days into pre-season training - how are the lads finding it so far?

I think they are finding it tough, which is good - pre-season should be challenging, and it's not always enjoyable, and it's no use saying sorry for it not being enjoyable, it's about making sure they've got their base fitness level to take into the season. During the season you are then topping it up, but if you don't get that base level in this first four to six weeks then you are always playing catch-up, and any player will tell you that pre-season is vital, and it's vital to work as hard as you possibly can.

It's obviously been extremely hot, which has made it even tougher, and even more challenging for them, so we are obviously very aware of that, but it's been a really good first couple of days. We've got the new players come in, and they've blended very well, we are working very hard, doing double sessions, and gradually, over a period of time, especially as we start to hit the match schedule, they realise it's all worthwhile.

There are a large number of new faces, and as you say they are starting to settle in well - do you have a team-building exercise at the start of the day to get the players used to them, or do you let them do it in their own way?

Most of our warm-up exercises are competitive, but even during the runs themselves, when you have your team-mates around you, you help each other through it, and we've stressed that there are times when each of them individually will get to the point in a run where they are finding it so difficult that they are going to need those players around them to say "come on" and push it, as everyone is going to need that extra ounce of energy squeezed out of them by their team-mates. I think that because it has been so tough, and the difficult first couple of days has helped them bond together a bit better - even bonding together at moaning about the coaching staff! They combined to find out what is coming up next, but to be fair they have been brilliant, and have got their heads down and worked hard.

As part of that coaching staff, how do you enjoy pre-season? Do you find it enjoyable?

It's enjoyable in seeing them get through it. We've just finished a tough run, and they got through it, and by the end of it they were aware that what they had done was tough, but they realised they have to do it.

Scheduling is very important for this part, making sure that we are not overdoing it, making sure we take on drinks for rehydration, having ice baths ready to aid their warm-down process, so the next day they are not waking up too stiff. Getting the timing right on what you are working on - physical work, technical work, work on upper body strength or core work - is the most important thing from the coaches point of view right now, making sure we don't overdo things in certain areas they are working on, getting the balance right with everything they do, as well as the timing and that the right recovery is in place.

Fitness is clearly the priority then, but as well as that, how soon will you start thinking about the quite exciting pre-season fixture list?

The match schedule kicks in next Tuesday, so by the beginning of that week we'll start to get our heads around the teams for those games. We'll be closely monitoring how many minutes the players are playing, to make sure that as the match schedule gets closer to the start of the season that they have all played a decent number of minutes. The matches start coming thick and fast, with the trip to Devon, and we are very much looking forward to that tournament, and continuing our pre-season there, at the training facilities in Devon.

In those games we'll start looking at things as an extension to the pre-season training schedule. We'll start making sure they get the minutes on the pitch, and as we get closer to the start of the season we'll look more at units - the defence, midfield and attack - and some more tactical issues.

Are we closer to seeing the finished picture now?

I don't think we are far away from being finished - there are still one or two loan signings that we are hoping to join us by the end of this week, and they will be joining us, it's just a case of tying up one or two things, and then sitting down and having a good period of stability, to look at what we have got, and how they are working in pre-season. I'm sure there are one or two areas we'd still like to strengthen, but we are willing to be patient at this point, we know we've got a good group of players together, and it's now trying to make sure that group blend well, and that they are preparing themselves properly.

Michael directs what to do as Jack Higgins controls the ball