Steven Schumacher is happy with Wanderers’ pre-season work to date as the Whites headed home from Spain with some important building blocks in place.
Schumacher’s squad is back at their Lostock base after a week-long training camp in Marbella which ended with a 2-0 warm-up win over South African side Orlando Pirates.
Wanderers’ next test comes at Barrow tomorrow (Tuesday) night when Schumacher will be looking to see more of his planning put into place with the Whites’ boss determined to kick off from a more a solid base when the new campaign gets under way.
“We spoke from day one of pre-season about the importance of being better out of possession. We can see there were far too many goals last season and we can't afford to do that this season if we want to achieve our objectives,” said Schumacher.
“We spoke about being defensively well organised and everybody participating. We can't have anybody in the squad who doesn't understand the value and the importance of defensive duty.
“We've hammered it home for 11 days. I think we've had 11 training days (before Friday’s game) and we haven't done anything about patterns of play or in-possession shape.
“It's just all been about structure and you've seen, when we get it right, it's difficult to break down. And then, when you're in good positions, then you inevitably cause the opposition a problem as well because you regain the ball in good areas. From that point of view, it was really pleasing.”
Wanderers - who leaked 70 goals in League One last season - kept a clean sheet and beat Orlando in front of several hundred travelling Wanderers’ fans thanks to goals either side of half-time from summer signing Charlie Warren and defender George Johnston.
Schumacher utilised two different elevens to spread the game time across the two halves of Friday’s fixture, with new signing Thierry Gale the only senior player not to figure as the winger builds up his fitness following his recent arrival.
Wanderers further integrated all their other new faces – bar the injured Sam Dalby – during the camp which ticked plenty boxes for the boss, who still hopes to further strengthen his squad before his his gets their season under way at Stockport County on 3rd August.
“That's the main reason you come on these camps, to spend some quality time with the players,” Schumacher told Wanderers TV. “I've said it a lot last year, I've got a good group of players. We need one or two extra characters in there as well, which we'll look to try and do before the season starts.
“But the atmosphere is good. I ask the players all the time to come in, work hard, enjoy this job that you've got. It's the best job in the world. Come in with a smile on your face and come in with an attitude of wanting to learn and this week everyone's done that.
“The sessions have been tough and we got through a really tough game in a good position, so, I'm pleased for everybody.”
Watch a full interview with the Head Coach and catch up with how things went out in Spain on Wanderers TV and our social media channels.