While Ole would obviously have preferred six weeks to work with the entire first-team squad, he believes this current period is a priceless experience for some of our young pros, and one that will also bring out the best in the senior players they are working with.
“Pre-season is always a fresh start, a new start with new opportunities to look forward to the season,” enthused the boss.
“Some of the players have just started their holiday, so we know it’s a depleted squad, but it gives the young kids a taste of what it is like to have a proper pre-season with top professionals like Nemanja Matic, Juan Mata in the first team, Lee Grant, Tom Heaton is back. They’ve done it so many times. Mason [Greenwood], Aaron [Wan-Bissaka], Axel [Tuanzebe] are first-team players who will bring these boys along and it’s a good opportunity for them.”