Wilder promises hard work on Oxford United tour (From The Oxford Times)

Wilder promises hard work on Oxford United tour

9:30am Tuesday 24th July 2012 in Sport By David Pritchard, Chief Sports Reporter covering Oxford United. Follow us on twitter: @oxfordmailoufc. Call me on 01865 425458

Oxford United begin their pre-season tour in earnest today, with manager Chris Wilder promising it will not be a holiday.

The squad’s itinerary includes three games and nine training sessions in the United States, before they fly home next Tuesday.

They are due for some light work this morning, before facing Seacoast United Mariners tonight in Saco, Maine (12 midnight BST).

The trip is largely a repeat of United’s tour to New England 12 months ago and Wilder expects a lot from the players.

He said: “It’s tough work. There is a bit of relaxation involved, but there’s a lot of hard graft that goes with it.

“You try and get the maximum out of it. We did last year and hopefully we’ll do it again.

“There are a whole host of things we want to get out of it. As well as the games and training sessions in a different environment, it’s about players that have got to live with each other for the next ten months getting to know each other.”

Adam Chapman and new loan signing Sean McGinty did not make the trip due to visa problems.

With five senior players still out through injury, United’s travelling party has been bolstered to include triallists Alex Evans, Ryan Tafazoli and Courtney Harris.

While few clubs in npower League Two will travel as far afield in pre-season, they are not the only ones to go overseas and Wilder does not believe the extra distance will be a problem.

He said: “Different teams at our level are going all over the place – Austria, Croatia, Portugal, everyone else is doing it.

“We’re using fantastic facilities and it’s only six hours away.

“When I first came in three years ago we went up to Scotland and it took us eight hours in a minibus.

“The tour is unbelievably well organised by Seacoast United, we’ve got a great relationship and this is all done by a fundraising effort by them.

“We do other bits and pieces, a bit of coaching with the youngsters as well, so it’s good.

“It’s done properly and hopefully it’ll help get us off to a decent start to the season.”