PREPARATIONS are now fully underway in the Canary camp for the start of the 2010-11 npower Championship.

Pre-season training started this week with City boss Paul Lambert and his backroom team subjecting the returning players to some tough fitness testing.

"Everybody seems to be in pretty good shape and the first day went well, so we'll see how the weeks progress," Lambert told Canaries Player.

"To do the type of training that I want, you've got to be pretty fit and it gives me a gauge to decide if they're going to be ready for it."

Although the City players have had a close-season break, the Scot set his squad a summer fitness programme to help kick-off the pre-season preparations.

"I think two months is too long off and I think the modern day dictates it's your job to come back in pretty good shape if you're a footballer, and that's the way I view it," he said.

"That's why we give them a programme to have a base to come back and hit the ground running. Football has moved on from years gone by and we have to get lads fit and ready to go right from the off. We don't have time to wait, we have to be ready and hit the ground running for that first game on August 6."

As well as nine pre-season friendly games the squad will be flying off to Germany for a week at a private training camp next weekend. Lambert explains: "It's a secluded area really where there isn't much the lads can do except train. It's not by any means a camp with nothing, but we have to get working with them and have that week where it's vital for us to try and prepare them the way we want them to prepare and play - and get used to everybody and mixing in with each other which is important to bond and hopefully come back and see the dividends from it." 

Lambert took his Colchester team there last summer and it was also Argentina's World Cup base in 2006:  "If it's good enough for Argentina, it's good enough for ourselves." Lambert commented.

"It's a training base, it's not a typical Spain, Ibiza thing. Yes there's a wee bit of free time, but we're there to work and it's our job to get them prepared as best we can."

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