United players get back to work

9:20am Saturday 7th July 2012 in Sport Photograph of the Author By David Pritchard, Chief Sports Reporter covering Oxford United. Follow us on twitter: @oxfordmailoufc. Call me on 01865 425458

Oxford United players (from left): Deane Smalley, Dave Lynn, Sean Rigg, Tom Craddock and James Constable on the first day of pre-season training yesterday Oxford United players (from left): Deane Smalley, Dave Lynn, Sean Rigg, Tom Craddock and James Constable on the first day of pre-season training yesterday

Oxford United’s pre-season began in torrential rain yesterday, but the conditions did not dampen spirits as the squad met up for the first time in two months.

A quiet summer in the transfer market meant winger Sean Rigg was the only new face in the group.

The players had a meeting with the coaching staff to discuss the pre-season programme and went through light drills to assess their physical condition ahead of more rigorous sessions starting on Monday.

Despite the unseasonable weather U’s striker James Constable, who was the subject of two unsuccessful bids from Bristol Rovers during the close season, was delighted to start work.

“It’s good to be back in amongst the lads,” he said “It’s nice to go away and recharge the batteries, because we know it’s going to be a big season for the club, but towards the end you just want to get back in and starting.”

There are still more than five weeks before the U’s kick a ball in anger in the Capital One Cup, but their opening pre-season friendly, at home to West Ham, is only ten days away.

Avoiding injuries is U’s boss Chris Wilder’s priority during the build-up to the season, but the workload will steadily increase over the next few days.

He said: “It’s no good just absolutely smashing them, there’s a gradual build-up.

“But we’ve had the boys in through the summer, it’s not as if this is the first activity they’ve done since the last day of the season.

“They have been doing bits and pieces, which gives us a base to move forward pretty quickly.”

Some United players who had operations over the summer were spared the weather, and instead trained in the gym.

Comments(12)

DuberryandBeanofan says...
10:00am Sat 7 Jul 12

Come on you yellows! Got a good feeling about this season, please don't let the doubters get you down. Oxford and Proud!!

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YellowRose says...
10:41am Sat 7 Jul 12

Lovely to see pics of the boys again. OU "rain" supreme!!

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score says...
12:13pm Sat 7 Jul 12

Surprised in not listed here yet but you have Jake Forster-Caskey on loan from us (Brighton), good player, thought he might push our midfielders more this year. See http://www.theargus.
co.uk/sport/9803619.
Forster_Caskey_goes_
out_on_loan/

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BigYellowScarf says...
12:37pm Sat 7 Jul 12

Well said, D & B Fan. The doubters will doubt and moaners moan and **** undermine as ever with their never-substantiated rumours, but I’d say we’re in with a great chance. Last season’s squad, who came close to the play-offs and would have made them (or even better) had it not been for the crippling injury-list (why does any reasonable person see that as a CW “excuse”?), is almost unchanged. That’s not a downer – it’s a big advantage. We’ve lost only McLaren who barely featured and Hall who was hardly a regular. Meanwhile Potter, Craddock and Capaldi, all very decent players who missed huge chunks of last season, are back, and we’ve added the promising Rigg and Forster-Caskey. (The whingers will whinge that F-Caskey is a loan player, but see Manor Born’s spot-on post about that under ‘United Set to Win Race for Jake’.) All looking good. Get behind the management. Get behind the team. Come on you yellows.

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LeGod says...
3:19pm Sat 7 Jul 12

You must be dreaming if you think your in for a good season.

Rotherham to win the league

Rovers to get an automatic spot with Plymouth

And the mighty Oxfrod scratching around for a play off place but blowing it again in the last third of the season ans i predicted would happen to you last year.

You have a tough start and cant see you finishing higher than 8th.

Never mind at least your back in the league which is big for you lot.

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DuberryandBeanofan says...
4:02pm Sat 7 Jul 12

LeGod wrote:
You must be dreaming if you think your in for a good season.

Rotherham to win the league

Rovers to get an automatic spot with Plymouth

And the mighty Oxfrod scratching around for a play off place but blowing it again in the last third of the season ans i predicted would happen to you last year.

You have a tough start and cant see you finishing higher than 8th.

Never mind at least your back in the league which is big for you lot.
I love the way you troll our site LeGod. Come on you yellows!!

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bigchet says...
5:32pm Sat 7 Jul 12

very surprised that de canio has gone to italy without his no 2 igor, or le god as he is known in wilts, but i suppose someone has to stay behind to feed the chickens in the chicken pen that is called the town end at the county ground.

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oufc#1 says...
9:55am Sun 8 Jul 12

Bring some youth players through after spending thousands on the centre of excellence and giving nobody a chance its logical dont you think, also keeping beano is a must hes the only proven scorer in the whole squad. The only player who carrys a threat and without his goals were be lucyky to finish mid table.

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In_The_Nikon_Time says...
12:30pm Sun 8 Jul 12

LeGod wrote:
You must be dreaming if you think your in for a good season.

Rotherham to win the league

Rovers to get an automatic spot with Plymouth

And the mighty Oxfrod scratching around for a play off place but blowing it again in the last third of the season ans i predicted would happen to you last year.

You have a tough start and cant see you finishing higher than 8th.

Never mind at least your back in the league which is big for you lot.
What a picture this paints, LeGod sitting there in his yellow PJs waiting for mummy to read him his bedtime story before he drifts off back into dreamland.

Shame the nightmares are about to start, as once again Swindon are found wanting in a league they could hack just 15 short months ago.

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pop up pirate says...
1:50pm Sun 8 Jul 12

LeGod wrote:
You must be dreaming if you think your in for a good season.

Rotherham to win the league

Rovers to get an automatic spot with Plymouth

And the mighty Oxfrod scratching around for a play off place but blowing it again in the last third of the season ans i predicted would happen to you last year.

You have a tough start and cant see you finishing higher than 8th.

Never mind at least your back in the league which is big for you lot.
LeGod, troll springs to mind when you & your other trolls turn up on here. I'm sure there is something on your own site you could write about.
OTID

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mandate says...
2:18pm Sun 8 Jul 12

LeGod wrote:
You must be dreaming if you think your in for a good season.

Rotherham to win the league

Rovers to get an automatic spot with Plymouth

And the mighty Oxfrod scratching around for a play off place but blowing it again in the last third of the season ans i predicted would happen to you last year.

You have a tough start and cant see you finishing higher than 8th.

Never mind at least your back in the league which is big for you lot.
LeGod.......... one word springs to mind when I read your silly comments, and I'm sure you are the world champion at it. Just don't wear your hand out.

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Abartonresident says...
9:56am Tue 10 Jul 12

LeGod, You could spend some time familiarising yourself with English grammar before your next diatribe.

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