“Pre-season has been tough for all of us but I do believe the lads have enjoyed it,” he told www.themillers.co.uk
“The fitness levels within the squad are excellent and all bar the odd exception the plan to get every player a targeted number of playing time minutes has been delivered.
“Pre-season is unusual in that results do not count. Do not get me wrong, I do not want to lose even when I play Monopoly with my kids but during the pre-season match programme there always must be a bigger picture and that of course is next Saturday.
“In all the matches we have played recently, from a players’ performance aspect there have been winners and losers in each of them but as an experienced manager you know that will be the case. On top of that some players are never at their best until the match has a real edge to it, all these things are part and parcel of getting ready.
“We are hopeful that by the end of the week we will have everyone in our squad training and working hard for a place in the team for Crewe. Our opening day opponents in League One will be very tough, that I do know, then a few days later we host a great club like Sheffield Wednesday in the Capital One Cup, it really is exciting.”