Robin Koch has now returned to Thorp Arch from his summer break, to get ready for the 2022/23 Premier League season!

The defender was pleased to get some time off, but spoke of how happy he was to return to the club and prepare for the new season, whilst also catching up with his teammates.

“I think I can speak for all the team, we needed a break and some holidays, and I think we used it well to recover and get the body fit again,” Koch explained to LUTV.

“It was pressure [last season], not only for your body but also for the head! You had to give 100 per cent in every game until the last seconds of the season, so it was good to have some days off.

“All the team is happy to come back now from their holidays, everyone has recovered on their holidays, I think we’re now ready to go and prepare for next season.

“I do enjoy more the season itself, than the pre-season, but, it’s part of the season, so you come back and you’re happy to work again, see all the boys again and prepare, but I am happier when the season starts again.

“When I came here two years ago I didn’t know exactly who I was meeting in the boys, how they are, are they good to each other, but from the first minute two years ago I was really impressed.

“They welcomed me, it was so nice and they’re all good boys, so now every year you are looking forward to seeing them again after some days off.”

Koch was keen to express that he is looking forward to working further with head coach Jesse Marsch and understanding more of his philosophy, which was more of a challenge last season with constant games meaning less time on the training pitch.

He said: “It’s very normal that you have different pre-seasons in your career. Every one is different, so we’re looking forward to it and like last year, we have a good team together.

“We need to prepare and get fit to play a good season, with not as many injuries as last year. We’re looking forward to it!

“This is is now a good start for us to prepare, with the new coach [Jesse Marsch], to get a little bit more time to improve some of our play.

“Last season when he [Marsch] came, there was a lot of pressure and we needed the results, but now we have some time to go through all the things and his ideas of playing.

“I think this is quite important for us.”