Paul Warne talks to www.themillers.co.uk...
Competition is fierce heading into tomorrow's season curtain raiser against Fleetwood Town, with boss Paul Warne having the luxury of no major injuries over pre-season.
After a rigorous pre-season training camp in Austria, Warne and his fitness and medical team have placed significant emphasis on improving the squad's overall fitness levels, with the Millers boss holding athleticism and energy high on his summer wish list.
Despite the intense work, the Millers have come through pre-season with no major injuries with Warne confident the pre-season work will give his side the necessary platform to impress.
"The physical resilience of the players has been really good this year," Warne told iFollow Millers.
"It helps that they have done a significant amount of work in the off season. It doesn't guarantee you anything, but we have seen that the lads are a little more resilient. Going into the game at the weekend, I am probably going to have to leave four or five senior pros behind. In that respect I am very pleased with the competition and fitness levels."
Warne confirmed that full-back Joe Mattock will be available for tomorrow's game after he missed the friendly with Barnsley with a tight hamstring.
Winger Alex Bray won't be risked, but Warne has a plethora of options available to him all over the pitch as he praised his staff for the high standards of squad fitness.
"The medical team have done really well," he added.
"The majority of the staff here are younger, so in the mornings you arrive at 7.30am and all the staff are here training, so they are physically fit and therefore demand a certain level out of themselves, which is the reflected on the lads.
"The lads know that they have to run on a daily basis here, so in that respect they are fit to play but there are no guarantees that they will be a 9 or 10 out of 10. We have to play the team that will suit the game but also be prepared for any changes if it doesn't look right."