Jim Explains Early Return

By Aston
June 5 2007

Town manager Jim Magilton has explained why he is bringing the Town squad back three weeks earlier then normal for pre-season training.

The Town squad start training for the 2007/2008 season on the 12^th of June only six weeks after finishing the season, Jim says its so pre-season is more spread out.

Jim: "It's something we are trying for the first time and we will monitor the progress of the players' fitness as we go on.

"I'm sure there will be a few moans and groans from the players and if I'd still been a player here I probably would have been one of the ones moaning!

"But it's designed to ease the players back into training. I have often found that we try and cram a lot of work into the first week of pre-season and you end up picking up little injuries.

"So the plan is to do three days training, four days off for the first three weeks and then take it from there.

"The lads will get a week off in July, which certainly never happened in my time as a player at any of the clubs I played at. There were times when I would have appreciated a break so they will get that.

"The extra time also gives us more opportunities to sit down and talk to the players about last season, what was right and what was wrong - and what we want from them this coming year.

"Most importantly, we want to hit the ground running. Everything is planned towards being in the best possible condition for that first whistle."

Source: Ipswich Town - the official website

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