Benitez makes pre-season plans

Last updated : 13 April 2006 By Al Campbell
Rafa Benitez says this year's pre-season will be a lot less strenuous on the players than last season's. With the majority of the first team squad going to the World Cup in June it means they will play a full twelve months of football without a break.

Benitez has already considered this and so Liverpool will not be going on any long haul trips to the Far East or America this Summer despite them being big money spinners for the club.

"We have ideas of where we'll go on pre-season and when. We'll also set different times for players to return, depending on how far they get in the World Cup," said the Liverpool boss.
 
"If England reach the final against Spain, we'll have a lot of players involved. Those players will need more time to rest.
 
"We still need plenty of time to work with the players during pre-season because it's an important period. Usually, we like to start seven weeks before the start of the new season.
 
"But with some players, it may be impossible. They'll need at least 15 to 20 days break after the World Cup is over.
 
"We have a lot of invitations to play in pre-season events all over the world, but we need to make sure the team has the best conditions to train.
 
"The priority is going to be to prepare the team properly, so the idea is to return to our camp in Switzerland again.
 
"I don't think we'll be going to different continents this time."