Elliot Embleton is hoping to make a big impression at Sunderland next season, and believes a tough pre-season set-up by Nick Allamby will be key for both himself and the squad as a whole.
The England youth international missed the majority of last season after setbacks following from an initial hamstring injury, but is expected to play a big part in Phil Parkinson's first-team squad next season.
It's a big campaign for the 21-year-old, with just one-year remaining on his contract. He knows he needs to prove his worth, and that's exactly what he hopes to do.
The academy graduate told the club website: "It was obviously a shame about the way the season ended, but it gave me another few months to build the strength in my leg back up.
“I had some gym equipment at home, so I was doing my best with that while following a programme I had in place.
“I was doing plenty of running to make sure I was fully fit for when we returned to pre-season.
“For me this season it’s about getting as many minutes as I can to help the team win matches.”
The players returned to pre-season last Wednesday, with physical performance coach Nick Allamby tasked with getting the players in the best possible condition for the new campaign which begins on September 12.
Given that Sunderland haven't played since March, pre-season has its own challenges for all clubs, with the time off rather unprecedented.
But Embleton is confident the work they've been doing so far at the Academy of Light will pay dividends.
“He (Allamby) has been very demanding of us and he’s set a good running programme out,” Embleton continued.
“The running and training have been at a very high intensity, but everyone has been doing well and we’re looking strong.
“It’s clear to see we’re all putting the work in and we’re in a good place going into the new season.”
