Barry Douglas: We are all optimistic and raring to go

Barry Douglas: We are all optimistic and raring to go

Full-back on pre-season.

Barry Douglas is one Leeds United player who hasn’t had much rest this summer.

The left-back suffered a knee injury back in March against Millwall, which ruled him out for the remainder of the 2018/19 season.

Douglas has been working tirelessly over the past few months, in order to be ready for the start of pre-season and as a result, was able to join in with the full group on Monday.

The Scotland international told leedsunited.com about what the recovery process has been like and what he is expecting in the next few weeks, as the Whites get ready to face Bristol City at the start of August.

“It’s been a busy schedule for me, I’ve been working hard and haven’t had much time off, but hopefully it is going to stand me in good stead for the upcoming season,” said Douglas.

“I spent two weeks in Portugal doing my rehab with the physios and some time in Dubai working as well and I feel really good physically.

“I’m at the last step now, I’m just progressing to contact and striking the ball again, but I’ve got pre-season and time on my hands, so I’m not going to try and speed up that process, it will come all in good time.

“It’s always nice to come back to Thorp Arch, it only feels like five minutes ago that we stopped, it went quick and even more so for me because I’ve been working.

“It’s great to see everyone again and we are all optimistic and raring to go for the season ahead.

“I missed most of pre-season last year due to signing quite late, but from the stories the lads have told me, I’m expecting it to be really intense.

“It is obviously the way the gaffer works things here and I think it showed, with how fit the boys were going into the start of last season.

“It is going to be hard work, pre-season is never easy, but we are putting the foundations in for the season ahead.”

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