City midfielder Conor Thomas says Pressley's pre-season regime has been the perfect way to prepare
Coventry City midfielder Conor Thomas says the Sky Blues' four pre-season friendlies in five days this week has been the perfect preparation for the approaching 2013/14 League One campaign.
City recorded two wins against Cheltenham and Mansfield and two defeats against Fleetwood Town and Oxford United to cap off an eight-game pre-season friendly schedule and Thomas said there was no better way to prepare for a hectic league schedule than get games under the belt.
"Obviously everyone comes into pre-season looking to play as many games as possible and there's been alot of games this pre-season and it's been tough but it's been really good," he said.
"Obviously I'm like everyone else in that I want to play as many games as possible this season and get City out of this league."
While manager Steven Pressley has made no secret of his desire to add depth to his squad, Thomas also said that while City may be lacking a couple of bodies it certainly was not lacking quality, especially in midfield, where competition for places is rife.
"Even though some people say that we're thin on the ground we've got some real quality in the team and there's alot of competition for places but at the same time we're all in it together.
"That's why the pre-season that's been put to us has really benefitted us because when the season starts it's Saturday/Tuesday or Sunday/Wednesday and there's no better preparation for that than playing games and it's worked because everyone is really fit and ready to go."
The Coventry youngster added that he's been enjoying the passing philosophy that Pressley has spent his tenure, especially pre-seaon, instilling into the side and the licence he has been given to join the attack more.
"The gaffer has come in and wants us to play a certain way and the lads have all really bought into that. He's underlined that how we play without the ball is just as important as our play while in possession and alot of the fitness work this summer has been around that.
"He wants us to play a bit different this year as well, more 4-4-2, and when I'm playing next to a quality passer of the ball like John Fleck it gives me the opportunity to bomb on a bit more which I've really enjoyed."
With the start of the new season now just a week away, Thomas finished by saying he thinks the days leading up to the first clash of the season away at Crawley will feel strange given the ferocity of fixtures in pre-season.
"It will feel weird next week because there will be no games before the weekend, just training to get ourselves ready for Crawley so all of the lads will be buzzing when Saturday comes and hopefully we can get a good result to get us off on the right foot."