Insight into Austrian training camp awaiting Bradford City

Graham Alexander is unlikely to land a job with the Austrian tourist board after he was asked to describe the attractions of Obertraun in a Sky Sports interview in 2022.

But there’s something about this Alpine skiing village and its location, which looks like a backdrop from the Sound of Music, that keeps drawing him back with various teams.

The facilities of the national sport and recreation centre camp are spot-on for how Alexander and his coaching and fitness staff plan to put City through their paces.

And the remoteness of their home for a week in July is another appealing factor.

Obertraun, which is just over an hour’s drive from Salzburg and three from Vienna, is a popular holiday destination – but not usually at this time of the year. Skiing and snowboarding pay the tourism bills.

Bikes, swimming and kayaking may still go on and you can visit the ice cave at Dachstein.

But the fact that three-quarters of the village accommodation is shut for summer tells you everything.

Distractions? Forget it. And that’s just how Alexander likes it.

He first went to the BSFZ training complex as a player with Preston and has since returned on numerous occasions as the boss with Fleetwood, Scunthorpe and Motherwell.

“It’s somewhere we know exceptionally well and the facilities are fantastic,” said Alexander.

“I didn’t like it much as a player, to be honest, and prefer it as a manager.

“But it’s an absolutely perfect environment for working with the team on the tactical and physical side and it puts the final stamp on the squad before the run-in to the season starts.

“It will be a really worthwhile trip.”

The timing of the overseas camp is deliberate. Teams tend to go abroad early on in pre-season but Alexander wants to get the build-up work in first – and hopes to have his squad as close as it can be to the finished article by the time they jet off.

Antoni Sarcevic, a veteran of these camps with Alexander at Fleetwood, and Neill Byrne are already on board.

Alexander with Scunthorpe before a friendly in Austria (Image: Scunthorpe United)

The City boss added: “We’ve put it back a little bit in our schedule because we want to have as many of the squad with us as possible.

“Doing it a little bit early, you’re missing a few individuals who maybe join after that. I think it’s a really important time.

“Pre-season will be a comprehensive one and if players miss chunks of it or break down in it, it makes it difficult for them to pick that up as the season starts.

“It’s also of paramount importance, and we’ve stressed that to the players, that they do the right thing in the off-season.

“I really believe they will because there are some really good pros there.

“They are going to set the example for everyone else and when we come back for pre-season, they will be ready.”

The players will need to be prepared for a demanding Austrian regime if Alexander’s last visit two years ago is anything to go by.

He had Motherwell up with a 6am alarm call followed by four-mile forest runs – and that was before double training sessions on most days.

Throw in regular plunges into the ice-cold Hallstatter See lake nearby and the hills will be alive with more than the sound of music.