Derek Delighted to be Back
ARGYLE boss Derek Adams has expressed his excitement of returning to pre-season training.
The boss has high hopes for the 2018-19 season, and has enjoyed watching his new recruits mix with existing Pilgrims. “It’s a delight to be back,” said the Gaffer. “It’s been a hectic start, but it’s been beautiful weather that we’ve had and the players are looking forward to it, they’ve all come back in good spirits.
“We play our first game on Saturday so we’ve got a lot of hard work to do to get ourselves prepared.
“We’ve had the balls out and we give them a touch of the ball to remind them what it’s like.
“It does benefit them- it benefits them physically but also mentally as well. I think that’s a big thing in the modern game, the physicality but also the mentality as well to get through such events.
“If you look at last season there were times that we won in the dying stages of the game, because of the mentality and the fitness.”
Adams has made a total of ten summer signings, nine of which are joining the Pilgrims permanently with one - goalkeeper Harry Burgoyne - here on loan.
“I think it’s important that you change the squad around a bit," said Derek. "We’ve still got the continuity of the players from last year.
“If you look at all of them you can see that the majority have come through the academy system at a bigger club: Man United, Liverpool, Dyson and Grant at Everton, we’ve got Man City, Arsenal, we’ve got Crystal Palace as well and Wolverhampton Wanderers so if you go through the squad, it’s looking good.”
This Saturday marks Argyle’s first pre-season friendly, against Plymouth Parkway, at Bolitho Park, a favourite with the locals.
Derek said: “It’s always enjoyable to play your first pre-season game and it’s so close by so your own supporters can see the first team in action.
“Quickly after that we’ve got another two games on Tuesday and Wednesday and then at the end of it we’ll be in Holland preparing for the start of the season.
“It’s getting earlier and earlier but I think that’s good and I think the players will be ready for it.”