Walsall manager Jon Whitney has spoken to club journalists and discussed his squads recent training sessions, which have seen several members of the first-team join in with the under-23s as they seek to maintain fitness over the summer, and has insisted that the squad will reap the benefits during the 2017/18 campaign as they will begin the season on the front foot.
Jon, who was speaking via Saddlers.co.uk, said; "They’re going really well and they’re beneficial, It gives me a chance to get in touch with my staff as well so John Ward is in, Neil Cutler, Ian Sharps and Calum Hayes too.
"We keep familiar with each other through the close season and it’s important for many aspects but mainly for the maintenance levels, so we don’t de-train too much. Hopefully when the season starts we can hit the ground running and get a head-start."
The manager hopes his squad will suffer fewer injuries during the season, he said; "The biggest and most important thing is you get reduced injuries. That’s key. If you complete a pre-season then you’ve got a much better chance of having a better season as well as playing more games.
"It’s key that we start the (younger lads) and get them used to our work ethic, and John Ward will play a big part in that by just chatting to them. We chat to them about general football and off-field things. It enables us to get a connection to these young players before they come into the first-team roles."