Luton Town manager Jack Wilshere says the Hatters’ decision to move their summer training camp from Slovenia to Spain is part of a wider push to deliver a “world-class pre-season” that he believes will see the Hatters ready for the rigours of the new League One campaign “on day one”.
Town have in recent years travelled to Slovenia during the summer for a training camp, but Wilshere has opted for a fresh approach as he prepares for his first full season in charge.
Last week the club announced of the summer preparations: “After a second full week of training the first team squad will fly out to Spain on Sunday 19th July for a training camp in Murcia.
“The week-long visit to one of Europe’s premier destinations for football training camps, regularly used by Premier League clubs, will conclude on Saturday 25th July with a friendly that will be open to supporters at the Pinatar Arena.”
Luton have already announced that either side of that camp, the senior squad will return to Hitchin Town for the first time in four years to kick-off their pre-season on Saturday July 11. They will also face Dutch top flight side Go Ahead Eagles at Kenilworth Road on Sunday August 2.
The Hatters boss said he wanted to change both the environment and the type of opposition his players will face in their summer pre-season camp abroad, to help prepare them for next season.
Wilshere told the club’s YouTube channel: “I know the club has been to Slovenia for the past seven years and had some really good experiences, but I made it clear to the club that I think it’s a good idea if we make a change there.
“Speaking to the players as well and speaking to the leadership group and Kal [Naismith] and Nakhi [Wells] and all them guys about pre-season and their experiences, we wanted to freshen it up. We wanted to go to a different environment, play against a different type of opposition.
“[In] pre-season we have to make sure that from day one, I know we’re going a little bit later as well, I want to make sure that we’ve got as much of the squad together for that trip so we can start to work on things that are going to help us in the season.
“But also to build the unity and the togetherness in the group because that was one of the biggest strengths this season in my opinion.
“When we went through the tough times, that togetherness, that unity that everyone showed and we’re going to need that again next year.”
Wilshere said preparations for next season had effectively begun before the campaign had even ended by missing out on promotion by one point despite a late surge including nine victories and two draws to finish the season.
He said: “Pre-season planning is well underway. We’re looking at a couple of friendlies that we’ve already got in but we’re looking to plan a couple more.
“There’s so much that goes into that and the coaches have been here for the last 10 days trying to plan that.
“We have to make sure that we plan and deliver a world-class pre-season because we have to be ready from day one.”
Talking about Town’s opening fixture in his hometown, Wilshere said: “The Hitchin one I know is quite a traditional one here.
“I’m obviously a Hitchin boy as well, so it’ll be quite nice for me. I know there’s a connection with Go Ahead Eagles.
“As much as the opposition is really important for us, that we get the right challenge at the right time in pre-season, we also want the fans to be part of it and fans to enjoy pre-season with us.
“The behind-closed-doors friendlies are really important as well that we get them right at the right time because we need to manage players’ minutes.
“We need to make sure that not just the starting 11 going into next season, but the whole squad is ready. That’s our focus now.”
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