Boss Mick McCarthy has revealed that his squad has returned to Playford Road fitter than they were this time last year.
The squad were in at the end of last week to undergo bleep tests with fitness coach Andy Liddell hugely impressed with the results.
"He rang me and said he’d witnessed something he never thought he’d see because they were fitter than they were last year,” McCarthy said.
"Every one of them had improved on their times and fitness levels, which is remarkable. That was a great call to get, I was delighted.”
The Town boss says who makes it into his side when Fulham visit Portman Road on Saturday 9th August will depend on what happens in the weeks before that match: "The team will be picked on the best ones throughout pre-season, the fittest, strongest, on best form, not on what they did last season. That’s generally my speech for the first day.”