U's plan pre-season course in Ireland

Colchester players are set to continue prerorations for the upcoming season with a testing course in Ireland next week. Individual fitness testing takes place this Friday here in north Essex, before the squad begins preparations together as a group next Monday.

The first few days of hard work will be done over on the Emerald Isle, with manager Joe Dunne hoping for some focused training.

"Going over will give us the chance to have the squad in a closed environment, where we can concentrate fully on what we have to do without any distractions. "The lads will be together all the time as well, giving them the chance to bond again after a summer away from each other."

Dunne stated that the trip also offers him the opportunity to continue forging good links with coaching and scouting personnel in what is a hotbed of young talented footballers.


He told the official website: "I enjoyed a very successful trip there last season, where I met representatives from the Irish FA and the Irish PFA, and this trip gives me the chance to further cement those relationships."