Oliver Sarkic says tough training regime at Blackpool is ideal

The newly-signed forward is among the players to have been put through their paces by head coach Neil Critchley.

Pool’s preparations continue to ramp up ahead of the September 12 restart date, with the club hoping to begin pre-season friendlies soon, albeit behind closed doors.

“It’s been intense,” Sarkic said. “We want to be as fit as possible, so the gaffer has really put us through our paces.

“We’re all flying in training and looking forward to the new season. It’s a great bunch of lads and there’s a really good feeling among the group.

“I can’t really tell who’s new as everyone seems like they’ve been here for a long time, so I’m still asking lads how long they’ve been here.

“We’re planning towards a date and trying to get as fit as possible. The fitter you are, the easier it gets to win games, so we’re trying to get the maximum fitness out of everyone.

“There’s been a lot of running and when we are playing with the ball it’s intense. The gaffer is just getting us used to that game feeling.

“In training we try to mimic a game situation, which means doing everything at 100 per cent.

“That way we’re ready and won’t get any surprises on the first day.

“I did a lot of running during lockdown to maintain my fitness. Initially the aim was to continue with games, so I tried getting as fit as I could and use that time to get an advantage on everyone else.

“It was a bit disappointing having the dates pushed back and back and back, but I stayed fit and it’s helped because I’m feeling really good now.

“I’ve started pre-season with high hopes and making sure I’m ready for what is coming.”