Pompey boss John Mousinho reflects on the first day of pre-season training for his squad.
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00:00Back to pre-season training today, the first time the players have been out on the grass, how's it gone?
00:06Yeah, it's gone really well. We had a real football-based session today, so no running. The lads have done plenty on Thursday and Friday and there's a bit more to do this week.
00:14We're just about getting the balls back and making sure that everybody's comfortable with getting back out on the grass, handling the ball, getting a bit of passing going and there was a lot of intensity to the session as well.
00:24So the first two testing days, what does that entail?
00:28Testing, a lot of testing.
00:29Is that it? A maths, English, history?
00:32S&C, don't test these boys' maths, English and history, it's not a good idea. S&C, I have a bit of time with them and then the physiotherapy staff, I have a lot of time with them.
00:42With the doctors doing blood tests, doing the standard heart screening that everybody does these days, it takes a bit of time.
00:49Strength testing in the gym and then there's physical testing outside as well with all of the running.
00:54It's a combination of those three. They finish both days with runs outside but the majority of the days are spent indoors in the gym and in the physio room, just making sure all the players were in really good shape to make sure we could come back and train.
01:06And they were in groups, weren't they? Today's the first time they were all in together?
01:10No, they were all in together on Friday. There was a split group on Thursday again because we just need to allocate players to certain stations when they're inside doing all the testing.
01:19Friday everybody was in together, it was much more of a physical day Friday where everybody was out together on the grass. Today's the first time they've been out with the balls out.
01:26And what do you make of this day?
01:28I thought everything, to be honest, over the past few days has been spot on. The lads have come back in really, really good shape and we've had absolutely no worries in terms of anything fitness-wise with the boys or injury-wise.
01:41And they've come in in really good shape. I thought the training session today was really intense. There was a lot of sharpness, the boys showed a lot of quality as well.
01:47And amongst that I think the most impressive thing was that physically everybody looked like they were right at it and ready to go.
01:52You had 20 players out there as well?
01:54Yeah, so we're pretty well staffed at the moment in terms of players. There's a couple that we've got to come back but at the minute I think everybody's looking in good shape and we've got very, very decent numbers for this stage of pre-season.
02:08Jordan Williams wasn't out there training today?
02:10Yeah, Jordan just feeling it slightly from the work that we've done on Thursday and Friday. Just precaution just to make sure that he's okay.
02:17We don't know with Jordan yet so as one of those with other players we might know if he's feeling something here and there what it is and we can push them through in training.
02:24There's no point in us risking that with Jordan so we don't expect that to be a long one.
02:28And another one not there was Gavin White?
02:30Yeah, Gavin will be back in with us tomorrow.
02:32And tomorrow is that going to be back to double sessions?
02:35Yeah, we've got a double session tomorrow so tomorrow we are out on the grass for a football session and then we're back out in the afternoon.
02:42The lads have got a gym session anyway, they've got a gym session most days but we are back out tomorrow on the grass for a bit of running as well which all the lads are really looking forward to.
02:48And of course some new faces there as well?
02:51Yeah, it's really good to see in pre-season everything feels fresh. Obviously we've got a new kit, we're coming back to a new training ground, we've got new faces as well.
02:59And the lads as far as I can see have integrated themselves really well. I do think it's a really good group to come into and make yourself at home.
03:06So I think the boys have settled in brilliantly well, we need them to hit the ground running, we need them to make sure they come back in and they fit in really well in terms of not just football but everything they do off the pitch as well.
03:16And I think we've deliberately recruited players that we think are going to be able to do that so I think it's going to be a very smooth transition for them.
03:23And then of course on Saturday you're off to Croatia?
03:26Yes and really excited about that. I think it's a really good part of pre-season and for a number of reasons.
03:33First of all for the coaching staff we get to spend a lot of time with the players that we wouldn't normally during the season.
03:38We get to bend in some of the principles that we want to try and bend in for when the games kick off.
03:44And I think the physical side of it is obviously really important because this early in pre-season we're still looking to put a lot of work into the lads.
03:50And then I think the final aspect is the social aspect for the boys.
03:53So they get to start spending a lot of time with each other, they're eating every single meal together, spending their time away from sessions with each other.
04:01And that's a really important part of I think getting the squad together whether we retain 10 players, 15, 20 players from last season and they get back into the building.
04:09I still think the group always feels fresh, you've got to make sure they spend plenty of time together to make sure that they're ready and I guess bonded for the start of the season.
04:18Thank you.