Simon Grayson believes Sunderland’s pre-season training camp in Austria represents the perfect opportunity for him to get straight into the thick of the action.
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The former Preston North End boss put pen to paper on a three-year deal at the Stadium of Light on Thursday – just 36 hours before the first team head to Austria for a warm-weather training camp.
Grayson, who will take training on Friday morning, has also brought his assistant Glynn Snodin to Wearside with Robbie Stockdale and Adrian Tucker continuing in their posts.
And speaking to safc.com, the new Sunderland manager revealed his excitement ahead of a busy pre-season schedule.
“It’s been a whirlwind as you mentioned but first thing I’ll meet most of the staff, meet the players and get out onto the grass to get some work done.
“I can show the staff how I work, I can see how they work and there’s no better place to do that than abroad, and we also have to make sure we’re all together because whether it’s the football staff, the administrative staff or the players we're all in this together."
He continued: “We need to make sure the players are fit and ready for the first game, so they’ll have a tough pre-season.
“I know Adrian Lamb our head of performance and Robbie Stockdale and Adrian Tucker, so it’s going to be full on for the next five weeks and we have to be prepared for the challenge of the Championship.
“It’s a demanding league but the players have got to bring some heart and soul back to this area, while giving the supporters something to be proud of again.”
