We're on tour in Germany this week, putting in the hours on a training camp in Donaueschingen. Peter Gilham is back to describe the second day of activities from behind the scenes on Keane Lewis-Potter's first day with the squad.

No doubt, the same as back in the UK, it was a beautiful morning with a cloudless sky welcoming us to a new day.

Breakfast was available to all at a time of their choosing for a two-hour period from 7.30am, given the challenging day of travelling and training yesterday, and no doubt the prospect of an even more challenging day of intense training lying ahead.

Then, Thomas addressed the group welcoming Keane who had arrived late the previous evening, and detailing the day’s itinerary. This consisted of medical prep before a training programme consisting of Warm-Ups, Box Work, Small Groups and an 11 v 11.

As it happened, the training session continued until just gone 1pm when the well-worked players and staff all headed back to the hotel by their chosen means of transport (buggy, bike or legs) for lunch.

Steven Pressley, our Head of Individual Development put his own attributes to good use by working as the ‘Lollipop Man’ at the junction between the one track path betwixt the fields and the main road we had to cross to get to the ground where we (that’s the proverbial we) train.

The afternoon gave the opportunity for those who so wished to take a dip in the excellent swimming pools at their disposal, both indoor and outdoor, or just allow their well-worked limbs and muscles to have a well-earned rest.

Then at 5pm, it was off again to the pitch for a late afternoon session involving set-pieces and other intricacies of our esteemed coaches well-stocked repertoires which have thus far kept us in good stead - if last season’s performances are anything to go by.

My intention is to try and detail for you some of the training sessions set for the players (so that you can try them out at home), and in that respect I will be enlisting the assistance of one of the first-class team of Athletic Performance staff who together play such a crucial part in preparing the players physically for the sessions that follow.

For now, I can only stand and wonder at the levels of energy exerted by the players in this heat when lesser mortals such as I can barely spend too much time outside before wilting.

Gone 7pm it was back to the hotel to prepare for dinner. An hour later, as expected, the sound of tinkling glasses could be heard, which is the sign that those players who have already been through the torment of having to sing in front of a baying crowd of players and staff, wanted to see our newcomers on this trip, go through the same process. However, there is a twist this time round, which I won’t reveal just yet.

And so, to bed.