Marvin Bartley is putting performances over results in his first pre-season as a manager.
The Queen of the South gaffer has been putting his side through their paces this week as they start their warm-up for the new season in earnest.
A “high percentage” of players passed last week’s test with the full squad training at Palmerston on Wednesday.
Bartley said: “It’s been a tough couple of days for them. Being able to be on the new pitch is massive for us, so it was important that we came down.
“The boys have embraced it, they know what I’m about, the ones that were here before and the ones that I’ve brought in.
“I met with every single one of them and there’s no surprises to them about what I’m going to expect and how we’re going to go about our business. It’s been good.”
He added: “A high percentage passed and for the ones who didn’t we stuck to our words – if you don’t pass then you’re going to be in.
“There was a couple that were in, but they’ve got up to speed very quickly.
“It wasn’t a surprise to anybody. I laid out the law of how we were going to go about our business at the back end of last season.”
The South travel to K-Park tomorrow for the first pre-season friendly of the summer against East Kilbride.
The game will give valuable minutes to players getting up to match fitness and will allow Bartley to try some things with his squad.
He said: “We’re all in football to play matches. It’s about coming through injury free. We’ll work on patterns of play. I’ll be out on my pro licence, Grant (Murray) will be taking the team.
“In terms of results, friendlies mean nothing. You can go through the whole of pre-season and win every single game and concede no goals and the season starts and you’re not up to scratch.
“The important thing is for me is the League Cup game on July 18.
“We get through those games and then it’s about the league, but friendlies mean nothing.
“I’ve looked a world-beater in friendlies and then first game of the season I’ve been absolutely terrible.”
The manager is also looking to add to his squad in the coming weeks.
He added: “We’ve brought a lot of players in and we’ll bring more in.
“It’s a good group to come into, I know all managers and all players say that. It’s a group that finished the season really
strongly.
“There are some good professionals within the group as well which helps.
“But the new boys, they’ve gelled really well at this moment in time and that will only get better.
“Gelling together takes time.
“But looking at it from start, they look like they’ve fitted in straight away. We’ve got a budget to work to. I’ve got a number of players that I want to work with and at this moment in time we’re short of that.
“So, we’ll get up to that, but it’s not about rushing it.
“It’s not just about being good footballers, it’s about being good professionals.”
