New Queens Park Rangers boss Steve McClaren says he’s ‘delighted’ after a successful pre-season training camp in Portugal and can’t wait to get into competitive action.
The R’s are looking forward to a closed-door friendly with Charlton Athletic this Saturday as they gear up for the forthcoming Championship season.
The former England manager has been putting the Hoops to the test in recent weeks and is elated with how Rangers’ week-long training camp in Portugal transpired.
“I’m delighted,” McClaren said. “There’s been a great attitude from the players, and we’ve fitted in a lot of work in seven days.
“They’ve worked hard. Tactically we’ve got a lot in, but it’s also been for me enjoyable.
“They want to learn, want to work, want to train and want to win. It’s been very competitive in games we’ve had; we make everything competitive.
“That’s key that we make winning a priority in training – that hopefully will come out into the game.”
McClaren is eager to see his new side get started and although the fixtures will be coming thick and fast, with Saturday’s game being the first of seven pre-season games in the next three weeks, the R’s boss feels he has got his side prepared.
“We’ve done a lot of work in terms of teaming – how we want to be with the ball, without the ball,” McClaren added. “All we want to see is what we see in training and put that into the games.
“We keep working to really give each player their job; each unit their jobs and the team their jobs to prepare for Saturday and to win the game.”
QPR’s first Championship game of the season is a trip to Preston North End on August 4, and McClaren has confidence that by next month his team will be ready to kick off the new campaign with a bang.
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