x

Hurst: It's Interesting to See People's Characters - Ipswich Town News

Town boss Paul Hurst says this week’s training camp in Spain gives him the chance to learn about the players’ characters.

Hurst, assistant Chris Doig, new fitness coach Nathan Winder and Chris Skitt, who joined the physio staff from Shrewsbury last week, have been working the squad hard at the Pinatar Arena Football Center, San Pedro del Pinatar, near Murcia.

"[This is] for me to get a first impression,” Hurst told iFollow Ipswich. "We had last week, but this is a tough week, three sessions [a day] starting with the run in the morning and it’s interesting to really see people’s characters.

"When things are going well and things are easy, everyone can play. I’m looking for people who can I rely on when the going gets tough, who is going to go in the trenches with us because we’ll need that over the course of the season.

"I think this week’s training is starting to highlight those things to me. But I have to say in general the lads have worked extremely hard and we’re now at a point where they’ve got two sessions [on Thursday], then an afternoon to themselves, which I’m sure they’ll be grateful for, before we go again on Friday.”

🎥 | Go behind-the-scenes at our training camp in Alicante as we caught up Town boss Paul Hurst after yesterday's third session of the day 👇 #itfc pic.twitter.com/1pEf6Hkkq0– Ipswich Town FC (@Official_ITFC) July 5, 2018

Among those in Spain are Emyr Huws, Teddy Bishop and Dean Gerken, who all missed the latter stages of last season due to injury, and Kane Vincent-Young, who is a free agent having turned down a contract with Colchester.

Hurst, who so far has signed Trevoh Chalobah, who turns 19 today, on loan from Chelsea and free agent former Crawley winger Jordan Roberts on a permanent basis, says the process of looking to add to the squad has continued during the week away.

😅🏃‍♂️ #itfc pic.twitter.com/QIsJ71Gk7S

— Ipswich Town FC (@Official_ITFC) July 5, 2018

"The phone’s busy, looking at players,” he added. "[Head analyst] Will [Stephenson]’s out here as well, helping on that side. We’ve got people back home working hard and, in truth, it never really stops.

"We try and focus on the training when possible, give the players the attention and then in between get on the phone and pick up conversations and see if there’s been any progress made.”

What to read next:

Young Close to Completing Town Move
Veteran former England international Ashley Young is close to completing a move to the Blues on a one-year deal.
Former Town Youth Coach Owen Dies
Former Town youth coach Brian Owen has died, aged 80.
Emmanuel-Thomas Joins AFC Totton
Ex-Town forward Jay Emmanuel-Thomas has joined National League South AFC Totton following his release from prison on parole.
Young Watches Son as U21s Beat Needham
Former England star and apparent Town target Ashley Young watched his son Tyler feature as a trialist for Town's U21s on Tuesday evening as they beat 10-man Needham Market 2-1 at Bloomfields in a pre-season friendly.
Young Watching Town U21s at Needham
Veteran former England international Ashley Young is watching Town’s U21s in friendly action at Needham Market with his son Tyler on trial with John McGreal’s squad.
Blues Beaten By Hammers in Behind Closed Doors Friendlies
Town played two 60-minute behind-closed-doors friendlies with West Ham United at their Rush Green training ground this afternoon.
Halajko New Director of Football Operations, Chenery Appointed Academy Manager
Dmitri Halajko, previously Town’s academy director, has been appointed the new director of football operations, TWTD having revealed Gary Probert’s departure for a job at Liverpool a fortnight ago, while Ben Chenery has been named academy manager.
Town Women Sign Striker Dean
Ipswich Town Women have signed striker Rianna Dean following her Southampton exit at the end of last season.
Chaplin: Opener at Birmingham One to Look Forward To
Ipswich Town’s season opener against Birmingham City is a clash that the whole squad are looking forward to, according to forward Conor Chaplin.
Fourteen Sign Contracts Ahead of WSL2 Campaign
Town have confirmed that 14 players have signed new contracts with the women’s side for the WSL2 season ahead.