7:30am Thursday 2nd July 2009
By Simon Parker
City are bracing themselves for the first proper pre-season session on the training pitch today.
The squad, including summer signings Simon Ramsden, Gareth Evans and Jonathan Bateson as well as Zesh Rehman, came back into work yesterday for fitness check-ups.
Having been given programmes to work with since the end of last season, McCall expected his players to return in decent shape.
McCall said: “We’re not killing them. The sooner we can get them into kicking the balls the better but you can only do that if they’ve got a reasonable level of fitness.
“In my day you’d spend the first week to ten days of pre-season just running – but those were the days when you went away in the summer, did nothing and put a stone on.
“Now, with the progressive level of fitness that they were given in the programme, nobody should come back more than a couple of pounds over at most.”
The only player missing will be striker Peter Thorne, who has an agreement to return on Monday.
Guiseley striker James Hanson, who has been offered a trial, will not be at today’s first outdoor session. He is not due back from holiday until the weekend.
Meanwhile, former Huddersfield midfielder Mark Hudson has thrown his hat in the ring.
Hudson, who twice scored at Valley Parade in derby matches, is on the look-out for a new club after leaving Rotherham and would welcome an approach from the Bantams.
He said: “If Bradford were interested, I would definitely be interested in talking to them.
“A move to Bradford would excite me. I’ve spoken to Brando (Chris Brandon) and he’s only got good things to say about the club and the manager.”
Central midfield is certainly an area where McCall still wants to strengthen. He missed out on bringing back Nicky Law and Dean Furman, while Paul McLaren’s position remains unclear.
But with McCall keen for his side to toughen up next season, he may be looking for a more physical type of player for the engine-room role.
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