Dino Maamria says that he can’t wait to get going ahead of the new campaign as the players arrived back for pre-season testing on Monday…
Following seven weeks off, the group are back together ahead of another gruelling Pre-Season and the Gaffer says that the first day back still brings the same feeling of excitement.
“Very, very enthusiastic, butterflies in your stomach. You are back to business, had enough holidays and can’t wait for the season to start. The first day is always getting the players together again catching up about their holidays, catching up on what has gone on. I have got John Ashton in the physio room doing all of their tests seeing what they need doing. Tomorrow is the same and from Wednesday we crack on.
“We finished on a high last season and I think the morale has been really good. They actually don’t want to go home. We finished a couple of hours ago but they are still hanging round having coffee together, having tea and chatting so it is good to see.”
Although movement in the transfer market has been slow thus far with just two signings confirmed to date, Maamria is remaining patient in the quest to bring in a certain quality of player in-order to build a squad capable of challenging for promotion.
“I have got one or two trialists but we are looking for quality players this season. I know the fans are waiting for some signings to be made but I think we are taking our time. It is quite different to last summer. Last summer there were a lot of changes and we had to go and get players.
"This summer we have kept the core of the squad together and what I am looking to do is to bring in better quality players to push us up to that 80 points plus mark. Last season was a monumental effort to get 70 points, the challenge now for me, the Football Club and the players is can we get 80 points plus.
"It is not going to be easy, it is going to be very difficult and we will take it one step at a time but like I said, we are ambitious people and we have got to keep moving forward.
"We don’t pay the most as we all know, but what we know is we have got a fantastic infrastructure, a brilliantly ambitious Chairman and a progressive Football Club. We are looking for players to take that journey with us and let’s see how far it can go.
"That’s the challenge I am relishing and I am excited lead this team forward.”
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