Graham Alexander’s verdict on Bradford City camp in Austria.

GRAHAM Alexander insists that Austria is not a quick fix for City, but he believes it will benefit them over time.

The Bantams return from their strenuous week-long camp in Obertraun today, having defeated local side SK Vorwärts Steyr 7-1.

Alexander believes they have once again packed a lot into their Alpine training base. However, the true test of this will come later in the League One season.

He said, “It’s only when you start the season and see how the players handle it. “It is not an instant return. It is now up to the staff and players to continue the work, mentality, team ethic, and culture that we have established here.

“This is just the beginning; it will take more than one week to resolve everything. It marks the beginning of a process for me and serves as a reference point for the remainder of the season.

“I said it last year when the players said they couldn’t train again, but they can; they don’t want to get up in the morning, but they can. It’s about breaking down the barriers to what’s possible for humans.”

Alexander and his staff have put the players through four sessions per day, which include training drills, cycling, long runs, and sessions in the town’s notorious lake.

Max Power takes no prisoners during the second half (Image: Thomas Gadd)

As the week progressed, the squad’s willingness to brave the cold water for recovery sessions encouraged the City manager. “We don’t make them go in there,” he added. “We advise them on the benefits, but the players then ask if they can go in.

“They see three or four, then five or six, then half the squad, and finally the entire squad.” They are going in of their own volition. “We discussed it at the beginning of the week. This is about learning how to prepare for a difficult season, when you’re exhausted, and for the next performance.

“It comes around very quickly. It’s like a six-day season in which you eat, sleep, train, and repeat. “That helps you recover faster. We try to help the players manage themselves rather than constantly being told what to do.

“There was not a single day during the week when we told anyone to go into the river. It was their own decision, or they were following the lead of others. “It’s great to see, and that’s why this week is so valuable.

The venue is fantastic; it’s ideal for what we want to achieve, but that is due to the people, the players, and the staff.

“It just takes them away from all distractions and lets us focus on work.”

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