Monday brings the start of pre-season training for MK Dons, marking the start of the Graham Alexander era at Stadium MK – and the newly-appointed Head Coach is itching to get going.
Players will report for screening and testing on Monday before their on-pitch work kicks-off the following day, as they begin their six-week programme in the build-up to the opening weekend of the 2023/24 campaign.
For Alexander, next week will provide a first opportunity to work with his squad since being appointed Head Coach of MK Dons back in May. Speaking to iFollow MK Dons on the eve of pre-season, he spoke of his excitement and finally getting underway.
“Monday is when the real work starts,” he said in his exclusive interview with iFollow MK Dons. “I’ve been here four weeks and while that’s given me valuable time to get to know people behind the scenes, I’m itching to get some grass time with the players now.
“I went up to the training ground this week and the fresh lines cut, the water was being sprayed on it and it made me realise we were really close to it starting.
“Coaching is the favourite part of my job. I have done all stuff that has to be done to prepare leading up to this point, but I get my enjoyment from being on the training pitch with the players and seeing them go through things I did for many years as a player, and trying to help achieve their goals and bring success to MK Dons.
“Pre-season is such an important time. It gives you an uninterrupted six weeks, where you haven't got competitive games, to really get your basics in, on the physical side and the mental side as well as that togetherness. You don't achieve anything as an individual in this sport. It’s a team game, on and off the pitch, so the relationships we build up during pre-season will strengthen what we do on it.
“There has to be a trust, an honesty and a dedication to each other to create a brotherhood. That takes a lot of work to bring together and we will need everybody to create that – me, the staff and the players, everyone has to contribute to that. Then, when we get to the games, the supporters become a significant part of that as well.
“I've never met footballer who doesn't want to be part of a good group, with good people around them. That's not being everyone's best mate all the time. It’s built on trust that we can be honest with each other, if that honesty is coming from a place of trust. It’s like a family and we have to create that family with a lot of individuals - that's what we'll aim to do.
“From an organisational side and a tactical side, we obviously have to imprint on the team so the players are aware of what we want in and out of possession. What gives me great confidence is that we've got a really talented group of players here. There's no doubt about the talent but now we have to assess the desire of the group to go and be successful.
“The players will have to work hard but they will 100 per cent feel the benefits of that. Until we're too old to play professional football and we're playing walking football, then, unfortunately, running is a part of this sport and that's at the top level – your Man City’s and your Liverpool’s have got the fittest players in the world.
“You can't play successful football, if you're not fit. Things do change in the game, certainly in terms of how you go about things, but the concept is still the same and it’s still a physical, running sport. The players will have to work hard but they will 100 per cent feel the benefits of that. If they don't want to work hard, then they're at the wrong club, with the wrong ambition. Luckily, I think we've got good characters in there, and we've added to that.
“We want to play good, attacking football this season but if we’re not fit enough to run, make angles, press the opposition or go from one end of the pitch to the other to score goal, or to prevent a goal, then we're going to fail and that's not what we're here to do. The players will understand that.
“I’m not going to lie and pretend it’s not going to be tough, but at the end of it, we’ll know who is ready to be successful for us and we’ll know those ones will be as fit as they can be. They’ll have been tested mentality as well, so we know that when we go away on a Tuesday night in January, we’ll be mentality ready.”
Monday will also be the first official day for MK Dons’ summer signings, albeit not Alex Gilbey who returns to Stadium MK for a second spell after agreeing a deal to join on a free transfer when his contract with Charlton Athletic expires at the end of June.
Speaking on the business done so far, Alexander told iFollow MK Dons: “We are really pleased with what we've done. There were spaces in the squad which we needed to fill with good quality and with competition.
“We have a certain profile a player that we want to sign right now and, certainly with three of them, we've hit that target. These were all guys with a really good options elsewhere, some at the level above, but they saw what we're trying to do here. That gives me great confidence that those guys are here for the right reasons. We’ve also got a young goalkeeper in Nathan who will come in and compete with Craig
“I think what we've done so far has set a marker point for what we're trying to do. I would like to think that the players already here will look at those players and think that we’re already a better unit.
“It’s a collaborative way of working - with Liam, the analysis guys and the Chairman - and we have to have that. I have to have that support, so it’s not just on my shoulders, likewise it can't be just on Liam's or the Chairman’s. We’ve pulled our skillsets together to get the best players possible but I'm quite clear in the profile of player that I feel will help us create a successful team. I think we ticked those boxes with the first four signings.
“There will be more to come. At the moment, we've got quite a full squad. I want to use the first couple of weeks of pre-season to really assess the players that are already here. I've obviously seen him play on video and from my teams playing against them but until you get to know the personality and the characters, you don't really know the player.
“I really want to get my teeth into that in the first couple of weeks before we make any big decisions on more incomings but we're in a position where I feel we can be disciplined with our recruitment and focus on getting the players that we've already identified without having to panic.”
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