Barry Douglas is beginning for his first full pre-season at Leeds United this summer.
Barry Douglas has told Leeds United’s official website that he is excited for his first full pre-season at Elland Road, and suggested that he is expecting a really intense few weeks after speaking to his teammates about what they were put through by Marcelo Bielsa last summer.
Douglas arrived during the previous summer window, but his move from Wolves was only finalised little more than a week before the start of the Championship season, meaning that he missed most of the preparations.
And Douglas suggested that he is pleased that he will get the chance to play a full part in pre-season this time around.
“I missed most of pre-season last year due to signing quite late, but from the stories the lads have told me, I’m expecting it to be really intense,” he told the club’s official website.
“It is obviously the way the gaffer works things here and I think it showed, with how fit the boys were going into the start of last season.
“It is going to be hard work, pre-season is never easy, but we are putting the foundations in for the season ahead.”
It is clear that the work that was done in pre-season 12 months ago was a key reason why Bielsa’s men spent the campaign in promotion contention. Leeds stunned Stoke 3-1 on the opening day with a performance that left the scoreline somewhat flattering the Potters.
With that in mind, it is not out of the question for this summer to be looked back upon as a key turning point in the full-back’s spell with the Whites.
His form during his first year with Leeds was somewhat underwhelming, and he struggled with injury on a couple of occasions. So perhaps having that full summer to work with Bielsa and the rest of his teammates could make a huge difference for a player who had previously been considered the best left-back in the division.
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