Bolton Wanderers are firmly in the swing of their pre-season preparations with their trip to Portugal.
Ian Evatt has taken much of the first team squad to the Algarve to build-up to the 2022/23 League One campaign. Wanderers are seeking to build on the ninth placed finish achieved last season and challenge for promotion in the months to come.
The Manchester Evening News visited the club's training base where they will be staying for the week, after arriving on Sunday. The location where the squad is not being publicly disclosed but it is a fine venue, to say the least.
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Almost all of the first team squad are present on the Algarve. Two young absentees include James Trafford and new loan signing Conor Bradley, whose capture from Liverpool was confirmed yesterday afternoon.
The reason the duo are not there is the same for both. They have been granted some time off owing to their recent international exploits with England under-21s and Northern Ireland respectively.
Kieran Lee is also absent owing to his wife soon to give birth to their third child. He has remained in the UK but is now back fit and is working with the B team at the club's Lostock training base.
As for the training in Portugal, the venue being used is a fantastic one. Naturally, there are training pitches which look immaculate in the Portuguese sunshine, as well as gym facilities, access to a swimming pool, outdoor areas for group training and much more.
The MEN was present for part of a morning training session on Tuesday. The players were out on the grass for ball work and running in the morning due to the cooler conditions at that time of the day.
The squad was put through its paces with passing drills - a key component of Wanderers boss Evatt's playing philosophy - as well as running to build up fitness. Jack Iredale was a part of this and seems to have bedded in nicely following his move earlier this summer from Cambridge United.
Josh Sheehan and Lloyd Isgrove are also part of the travelling party after missing the second half of last season owing to injury. The duo are continuing to rehabilitate, though Sheehan is the one becoming more involved in training sessions at this time.
Wanderers boss Evatt is understood to have been at the same location during his Blackpool playing days and a facility he was able to recommend to Sharon Brittan and the Wanderers board. It is easy to see why it is such an appealing place to work.
And work it very much is and not a holiday for the players, with multiple sessions a day. Wanderers are poised to be at the camp until the weekend, after which they will return to the UK ahead of the first pre-season friendly against Longridge Town.
The new training kit has debuted too, with fans generally giving positive reviews on social media at the light blue training top. It looks as good in real life as it does in the pictures.
The Algarve is a popular destination for British tourists and it is easy to understand why. But it is also the case for football clubs doing training camps with the likes of West Bromwich Albion and Blackburn Rovers heading to the area shortly.
Wanderers are aiming to reap the benefits of such a trip both in terms of fitness and team bonding with the training camp in the months ahead. The early signs look promising.
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