Bristol — Michael Skubala has underlined that Bristol City’s warm-weather training base near Alicante is intended as a demanding preparation period rather than a break. The head coach has scheduled intensive double sessions in the heat as part of a week designed to embed standards and help a reshaped squad gel on and off the pitch.
High intensity, clear objectives
Skubala described the trip as central to building togetherness and ensuring the players are physically and mentally ready when the competitive season begins. He said the focus is both on tactical integration and on creating the dressing-room cohesion that can prove decisive later in the campaign.
“It’s really important this week that we’re cohesive… It’s not for me a trip where we’re on holiday. It’s a trip where we have to work,”
The week’s schedule has been deliberately testing, with sessions taking place in high temperatures to push the squad’s conditioning. Skubala stressed that pushing players during pre-season is part of preparing them for the most demanding phases of the season.
Integration of new arrivals
One of the chief aims of the camp is to accelerate the integration of several recent signings. The week represents the first sustained training block where a number of new players are together with the squad, allowing coaches to assess combinations and relationships on the training ground.
- New signings present: Sam Tickle, Sam Greenwood, Jed Wallace, Lisav Eissat, Gibson Yah and Brad Collins
- Primary goals: physical conditioning, tactical work, squad cohesion
- Setting: Bristol City training base near Alicante
| Player | Camp status |
|---|---|
| Sam Tickle | Training with squad |
| Sam Greenwood | Training with squad |
| Jed Wallace | Training with squad |
| Lisav Eissat | Training with squad |
| Gibson Yah | Training with squad |
| Brad Collins | Training with squad |
Skubala emphasised the dual nature of the trip: while the environment allows players to enjoy training in warm conditions, the principal emphasis remains on work and unity. He highlighted that establishing familiarity among newcomers is critical both for the dressing room atmosphere and for on-field understanding.
For supporters, the camp offers the first extended opportunity to see how the squad is shaping up under Skubala’s management and how new recruits might fit into the team. The coaching staff will use the sessions to test fitness levels, trial tactical ideas and strengthen the bonds that the manager says will be important "in the deepest depths of the season".
Players and staff are due to return from the week in Spain and resume the remainder of pre-season preparations on home soil before competitive fixtures begin.
