Tough Wolves schedule ahead of Premier League return says Conor Coady - VIDEO

The players were handed a gruelling running regime over the summer and had their every move clocked by fitness watches during the off season.

And since returning to training they've been put through daily double sessions ahead of their friendly campaign getting underway during a trip to Switzerland next week.

Coady told the Express & Star he'd never been tested harder during his post-season 'break'.

"The runs are really tough, I've never had runs like them in terms of being in the off season," he said.

"The boys are in brilliant shape and its give us a good platform.

"Training's carried on from last year, it's been exactly the same, it's been sharp. Antonio (Dias, fitness coach) knows what he's doing – he's ran us quite a lot, which has been tough.

"But we've enjoyed it and we know what we have to do.

"It's gone up a little bit in terms of we had an off-season programme as well. He gave us watches so they knew everything we were doing. The runs on the watches, I've never had runs like them in my life. They were so hard.

"So we've done a lot of running in the off season and the boys have come back in great nick.

"We've come back fitter than we normally would, 100 per cent."

England boss Gareth Southgate spoke in glowing terms about former youth international Coady towards the end of last season, with Southgate saying the 25-year-old has the right mentality to play for the national team.

Coady said of his England ambitions: ""It’s not something I’m looking at, I’m concentrating on performing for Wolves as much as I possibly can, performing to the best of my ability, listening to the manager as much as I possibly can and hopefully improving and we’ll see where we go."

Of Southgate's praise he added: "It’s incredible stuff, its stuff you dream of as a kid. To be talked about like that is really complimentary, I couldn’t thank him enough.

"But at the minute its something where I need to go and perform with Wolves to have any idea of that.

"I need to keep on listening to the manager, it’'s as simple as that. Improve on last season and get better."

Wolves have made two new signings this summer – Portugal goalkeeper Rui Patricio and Benfica loan striker Raul Jimenez – to add to the permanent captures of Diogo Jota, Willy Boly, Leo Bonatini and Ruben Vinagre.

Coady is impressed with the additions.

He said: "Patricio, Portugal’s number one, he’s a huge keeper. He’s a fantastic keeper in terms of how you watch him and he commands his box.

"It’s exciting to play with these sort of players who are coming in.

"We all know how ambitious the club is and signing the likes of those players is really good.

"Jimenez, you see him play in the World Cup so he’s going to be a good player isn’t he.

"We cant wait to get them involved.

"Rui is 100 per cent a statement signing but you look at Ruben signing for five years as a statement signing, you look at Jota, at signing Boly, they’re all signs of intent and that this club is moving forward.

"We want to be a part of that.

"All the boys are saying the same thing, it’s an exciting season for us and the quicker we can get these players in the better."