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Wanderers head behind closed doors for their latest pre-season friendly today – but Jack Iredale reckons the improvement in Ian Evatt’s squad will soon be there for all to see.
Stockport County entertain the Whites for a friendly game at their Carrington training base, looking to continue a 100 per cent winning start.
Iredale, a newcomer to the camp after his move from Cambridge United, says he has already felt the benefit of an early and more intense start to the summer on the training ground. And though there were a few signs of fatigue on view in Saturday’s win at Chorley, the Australian is confident the long-term benefits will soon become apparent.
“We have worked really hard,” he said. “And, 100 per cent, it is all about trying to build relationships at the moment with other centre-halves, or midfielders in front of me.
“There has been a lot of information, a lot of work, but it is something I can deal with and I think I have done so far.
“I think when you are playing against better opposition you get a chance to play better football yourself, and Stockport will be that step up.
“I just look forward to the pre-season games and the work that we’re getting in because the more games we get together, the better we’re going to get. I am sure of that.
“Stockport will be a good game, a good challenge, and it is something that is only going to benefit us as well if we put into practice the principles we have been working on.”
Iredale has played as a left-sided centre-half for his two pre-season games so far, with Max Conway splitting time on the left alongside Declan John.
It is a new role for the 26-year-old, who had played wing-back in a back five at Carlisle but worked last season in a four-man defence at Cambridge United.
“I haven’t played centre-half in the three,” he said. “But I have played centre-half in a four and left-back in a four, so I am basically shuffling between those two positions in this formation.
“Apart from me and Conor (Bradley) the group has been together a long time. We’re the new boys, basically. But it has been easy to transition to that because everyone knows their roles and responsibilities.
“The boys are experienced in this formation. Big Rico (Ricardo Santos) knows what he is doing, knows where he wants me, and that has been a big help.
“I am an experienced player as well and have played 200-250 professional games now so I have to be able to hand out that information to people around me too.”
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