Manager Mick McCarthy reveals one Wolves man is more delighted than anyone else at the return of the players to pre-season – fitness coach Tony Daley.
Ten days into their gruelling schedule, McCarthy has been impressed by how fit his squad have come back.
Much of their ability to take on such a workload is down to how they have adhered to their summer ‘maintenance’ programmes designed by former Wolves, Villa and England winger Daley.
He said: “They’re all looking remarkably fit which is very good. It’s a different era now and indeed has been for a number of years.
“Tony Daley’s been excellent in setting them programmes in terms of fitness, strength and conditioning over the summer.
“They have all adhered to them as they know they have to, because they can’t come back and be behind anybody.
“They are all in great shape. They’ve been going for tests at the university and those procedures can tell us how fit they are.
“We’d got all their results from the end of last season to compare them with as well.
“In the old days they used to run you until you were sick and if you were sick you weren’t fit enough so they ran you some more.
“That approach is old money now. Instead there’s data and feedback coming back all the time.
“Tony’s really pleased with their levels and he’s where I get my information from and then I see their levels on the pitch.”
With the players’ fitness levels high, McCarthy is now focusing more on ballwork.
“If you’re a footballer you’d much rather be chasing the ball. We’ve had some intense sessions with the ball.
“They can run all day but if they haven’t kicked a ball for two months, it takes a short while to get your touch back again.”
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