Danny Graham’s put in some extra miles during pre-season as the Blackburn top goalscorer from last season looks to be in optimum condition when the League One season gets underway.
A second half hampered by injury niggles is something Graham’s also bidding to avoid, which played a part in his slightly earlier pre-season return.
Looking back at the 10 days of intense training at Brockhall before the Barrow friendly last Saturday, Graham knows that running is important but actually getting into a game situation is where you build up the match sharpness.
He told the Official Website: ‘We had a great ten days of hard work leading up to it but it is always nice to get that match sharpness which is vitally important to everyone. You can do all the running you want in pre-season but we always find the games the toughest ones.’
On that 2-1 win he added: ‘So it was a tough test, they were big physical boys and they were quite fit themselves as well, everyone got 45 minutes which was good. It was a good test, everyone has come out of it doing well, and of course it was nice to get a goal.’
But when all’s said and done the main focus will be the League One opener with Southend.
Graham finished by saying this spell in Austria, including the meeting with Sparta Prague on Friday and the other friendlies to follow, will be where Blackburn, most importantly, look to come through without injuries.
‘Hopefully we can get through these next pre-season games with no injuries and look to build for Southend.’
Meanwhile, Tre Pemberton’s future could well be in the Premier League.
The winger wasn’t offered a deal at the end of his scholarship, having featured for the U18 and U23 Blackburn side, but Stoke have seen enough to snap him up.
Pemberton, 18, will join the Stoke U23 squad this season and could come up against Blackburn as Rovers will be in the same Checkatrade Trophy group as Stoke, along with Bury and Rochdale.
