Back in Toon! - 08/01/2002

After a good long break, I’m really looking forward to the new season, not just any season, but a Champions League season!

All pre-seasons are physically hard, something that you can’t do without if you want to ready for the real games. For us, it’s all the more important with the Champions League qualifier coming up. During the Dutch tour we played a few games in quick succession, but usually only for a 45 minute period. The Forest game was really our first, and it showed. This was their third game and they were sharper and fitter. It’s not the result that was important though, we’re now nearer to peak fitness and with games at Wolves and at home to Barcelona, we’ll be steadily improving and building up to a peak for the Champions League qualifier. All the players are looking forward to our return to St.James, it’s a great stadium and with one of the biggest teams in the world here, everyone wants to play.

I’ve been impressed with both Hugo Viana and Titus Bramble, both players have improved the squad and also added to it in numbers. These days it’s so important to have a large squad, and although none of us want to be rested, we all accept that its’ simply a fact of life these days. Put it this way, if I had to sit out because I was tired, and someone else came in and helped get us through to the next stage of the competition, I’d be happy – but I’d want my place back in the next game!!

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