The Town squad began pre-season in earnest at Playford Road this morning and TWTD’s photographer was there to catch them being put through their paces by manager Mick McCarthy, his assistant Terry Connor and fitness coach Andy Liddell.
McCarthy was pleased to be back at the training ground, even if it didn’t feel that long since the end of last season
"It does come round quickly, doesn’t it? My feelings are as always, excitement, looking forward to it, glad to get back into work, get back into training and see the lads.”
The squad will spend this week at Playford Road before travelling to Ireland for their now traditional week at the Carton House Hotel in Co Kildare.
"We’ll be in the dome this afternoon, we’ve got a fabulous new surface in there, that 4G pitch is brilliant,” McCarthy added. "That was quite exciting to see that, it had just worn away, it does after so long, it’s been awful.
"That was good, so we’ll be doing some weights in there and we’ll just have the ball out, which we would never have done on the other one.
"It’s great, so we’ll be in there this afternoon. It won’t be chasing it around and tackling or shooting, it’ll just be technical skills.”
Skipper Luke Chambers (minor niggle), new signing Adam Webster (ankle), Giles Coke (who is returning from knee surgery) and Jonas Knudsen (returning from the knee problem he suffered late last season) weren’t involved this morning but have been working in the gym, while striker Daryl Murphy and midfielder Kevin Bru have been given additional time off as they have been on international duty.
Bru will join up with the squad for the Ireland trip and Murphy once they have returned on the Tuesday after the opening friendly against Shelbourne at Tolka Park on Saturday 9th July.
The development squad and a number of the new season’s second-year academy scholars joined the senior pros for this morning's session.
Photos: Richard Calver