Leeds United first team players began their pre-season schedule this week, reporting to Leeds Beckett University to undergo testing ahead of a fresh campaign.
While on campus, LUTV sat down with Jaka Bijol to talk all things close-season, goals for next term and a look forward to upcoming US Tour.
"It is nice to see everyone again. We had a lot of time off now, so it is nice to come back and start to work again, maybe not so much the running part, but it is the part we have to do as well. But yeah, looking forward to the preseason, to the season start.
"I took some days off after the season but we had the national team as well. So after the national team, one week, maybe a little bit less, just to relax a little bit. But then you gradually start to work again, to prepare yourself, because we start quite on a high tempo again straight away.
"You have to be ready for it and that you can do preseason without any problems or injuries and stuff like that."
The Slovenian international made the switch to West Yorkshire from Italy late June last year. Adding on how he has settled at Leeds, he said: "Maybe a few first games also to adjust to the team a little bit.
"It is not just the Premier League that is new, it is also the team that you have to adapt and just to find your place there in the team. And then it is the Premier League, it is the best league in the world so of course you need maybe a little bit just to acknowledge the other, the tempo and everything.
"But I think that I saw quite fast where things are and what do you have to do to play on that level, and how I can fit inside the team and everything. I just tried to help throughout the season and I am really happy that we finished like that, and that everyone had a good season last year."
The club announced the signing of Welsh winger Harry Wilson a week prior to testing, and the centre-half had plenty of praise for his new teammate: "We have been watching him last year. He brings a lot of quality and just happy to have him. He knows so many guys already from the national team as well so I think he is going to be a big one for us. And like I said, happy to have him, and just to see him on the pitch as well.
"I think we have to have some realistic targets, just take some steps forward," Jaka added on goals for the new season. "Yeah, and just build on that, build on last year.
"We had a great year last year, and just to try to build on that, and bring so many good performances like we did last year as well, I think this is the most important thing. And just to play good football, intense football like we want, and to bring that on the pitch every week, then the results will come for sure.
"I am looking forward to that [US pre-season camp] for sure. Something different. It is going to be maybe something new for most of us. Yeah, fun to see there as well, and just to play good games there. And great stadiums for sure, great facilities, and something different. It is is going to be exciting for sure.
"We play a game in Ireland as well. So last year we played already there, and it was a really nice experience as well. So yeah, just Leeds fans are all over the world, so it is nice to go there and see them."
