OLE AND NICKY ON A RETURN TO PRE-SEASON

City boss welcomes back his squad for 2014-15 campaign

Preparations for the 2014-15 Sky Bet Championship season kicked into the gear this week as the Cardiff City squad were reunited for pre-season training.

Tackling the heat and high intensity fitness training that is renowned during pre-season, summer arrivals Javi Guerra, Guido Burgstaller, Federico Macheda, Adam Le Fondre and Kagisho Dikgacoi integrated with the squad immediately alongside returning loan players John Brayford and Nicky Maynard.

Delighted to get his squad back together after the summer break, City manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær said: “The early signs in training are very good, I think everyone in the camp knows just how important it is for us to start the season well.

“It's a tough and long season in the Championship and we're working hard to ensure that our fitness is good ahead of the new start. You have to look forward to it if you love football. We have games Saturday, Tuesday, all the time and we have a big squad full of quality.



“We've done a fair bit of business but I can't take all the credit because our Chairman Mehmet Dalman has been absolutely fantastic. Everyone has been working quite a few hours of overtime this summer to get our early business done.“

Making a welcome return having enjoyed a six-month loan spell with Wigan Athletic last season, Nicky Maynard was pleased to be back involved with the Bluebirds as he looks ahead to what will hopefully be a successful 2014-15 campaign.

“It's been a good first few sessions,” said the 27-year old front man. “The boys have been itching to get back into it having been away for quite a while.

“It'll be a tough couple of weeks of training until the games begin, but it's all key as we gear up for that first game of the season against Blackburn and hopefully a good season ahead.

“The new lads have settled in well, I almost feel like one of the new boys as well to be honest! We all welcomed each other back and we're all together in trying to get what everyone wants from this season. We're sticking together and getting on well.”

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