Worksop Town boss Craig Parry keen to test mentality as pre-season begins

Worksop Town manager Craig Parry says that he wants to test the Tigers’ mentally as they began their proper pre-season on Saturday.
Tigers boss Craig Parry is ready for the test. Pic by Mike Holmes.Tigers boss Craig Parry is ready for the test. Pic by Mike Holmes.
Tigers boss Craig Parry is ready for the test. Pic by Mike Holmes.

The squad took part in an open training session at the club’s ‘Open Day’ at the weekend, as they returned from a four-week break after an initial period of re-engagement.

And Parry wants to test his side with a series of different training methods, such as hill running at Cusworth Hall and a tough gym session.

“It was great to be back,” said Parry. “I think we have all been itching to get back together and get moving forward in a year which will be big for all the teams in our league.

“We have set out a plan to not only test the lads fitness-wise but mentally as well because it is going to be a very tough year.

“We thought rather than bedding them in, we’d give them a little bit of extra time off but start as we mean to go on with hard work.

“We always like to vary things up, so the lads will go through different types of fitness and different types of sessions and, again, it is testing their mentality.

“Their trip to Cusworth Hall will give them a completely different test to a normal session at Sandy Lane because it is about hill running and different endurance; the gym session will be slightly different, adding weights and various equipment in there to get them ready for the start of the season.”

Worksop’s first pre-season fixture takes place on Friday 2 July, as they travel to Hemsworth Miners Welfare.

The Tigers boss says he is keen to get his side as many minutes under their belts as possible.

He continued: “Hemsworth have a very successful mindset into how they want to develop the club and progress it with good people working behind the scenes that are pushing the club in the right way.

“We wanted to get the lads away from our environment but not take them too much out of their comfort zone; they will be on another 3G pitch and endure a good test, and it is one that we are looking forward to.

“We aim to go for quality not quantity in the squad, so people will get as many minutes as possible.

“We want to go up there with the intent of winning football matches and having that winning mentality instilled.”