He told todays Advertiser after his first full week of training: “I've told them, they have to be fit enough to play with the same intensity for 90 minutes.
“Some are and some are not and if you aren't then you don't win football matches, and certainly not at the top of the tree.
“The players are very fit this year, but next season we'll be fitter and mentally stronger and will be prepared to run for 95 minutes. We can't do it all in a day or a week or three weeks but it will come and that's why pre-season will be absolutely vital to us.”