Wanderers are working hard under the Spanish sun as they step up their preparations for the new campaign.
Steven Schumacher’s squad are well into their week-long stay in Marbella as a key part of their pre-season build-up.
Wanderers’ new summer recruits are integrating into the squad, which will play a friendly against South African outfit Orlando Pirates on Friday when Schumacher plans to utilise two line-ups for 45 minutes each.
However, the Whites’ boss will be unable to call on summer signing Sam Dalby, with the striker back at Lostock receiving treatment along with three other members of the senior squad.
“We had to leave Kyle (Dempsey) and Victor (Adeboyejo), who are long-term, and we left Will Forrester and Sam Dalby behind,” confirmed Schumacher. “Unfortunately, both of them have picked up hamstring injuries. Will has a reoccurrence of his tendon problem that he had last year, so he's going to be out for a little while.
“Sam Dalby has picked up a hamstring strain a couple of days before we were due to leave, which is unfortunate because he was looking really sharp in training.
“His is just a bit of fatigue, I think. He's picked up a muscle injury, which is his first one of his career, so we're disappointed with that, but we wish him well and he'll be back as soon as possible.”
Former Wrexham striker Dalby – landed after a prolific spell on loan at Dundee United last season – will therefore have to wait for his first appearance in a Wanderers’ shirt but there are likely to be first run-outs for a number of the Whites’ other new faces in Friday morning’s friendly.
“They've settled in well,” added Schumacher, who has welcomed goalkeeper Teddy Sharman-Lowe into the fold following his successful summer with England’s Under-21s and attacking additions Thierry Gale and Amario Cozier-Duberry after the pair took Wanderers’ number of summer signings up to seven at the end of last week.
“Young Amario and Thierry, the two newest recruits, we didn't see much of them before we left but they have come in and seem at ease in the group. They're training really well. Amario's caught the eye, Thierry's a little bit further behind in his pre-season.
“Amario had obviously started (pre-season) with Brighton, so we have to be a bit slower with Thierry, but he's getting there. He looks as though he's enjoying what he's doing and the other new lads are doing well.
“Teddy and Xavier (Simons) have been good. We had Teddy join us on Friday at the training ground, so it’s good to spend some time with him and young Charlie Warren has done really well since the first day. He's been a real surprise package. He's caught everyone's eye, he's been excellent. I must say as well, Richard Taylor has done really well since he's been in and all the lads are doing well.”
Wanderers also have a number of their young players at the training camp as they continue to look to impress during the twice daily sessions on the training ground and in the gym.
The bulk of last season’s squad are also going through their paces in a second full week of pre-season, with Schumacher pleased with what he’s seeing on the back of a behind-closed-door game against Tranmere last Saturday and ahead of the remainder of the domestic friendlies which continue with next Tuesday night’s trip to Barrow.
“There’s loads of different reasons why you'd try and come on one of these camps, but the main reason is to spend some quality time with the players,” said the Wanderers’ Head Coach, who also has new goalkeeping coach Owain Fôn Williams as part of his back-room staff as he prepares for a first full season in charge of the Whites.
“It's important that we spend as much time as we can getting organised on the pitch, but just getting to know them off the pitch is key as well. So, little conversations that you have on the walk down to and from the training pitch can tell you things that you didn't know and you can use going through the season.
“It’s been a good couple of days. The weather's been unusually hot here but it's been good and the lads have enjoyed it. We've had some really good training sessions, and so far the week's gone well. It's been tough, but they're enjoying it.”
Watch a full interview with the Head Coach on Wanderers TV and YouTube and follow all of the club’s official media channels to stay in touch with events in Spain.
