Shaping Up

Fulham striker Brian McBride spoke of the benefits of a challenging pre-season tour on Thursday afternoon and was in optimitic mood as he discussed Fulham's goals for the 07/08 Premiership season. 

"I think we are confident in that we have a good team and we have to concentrate on having the right attitude from the off this season. If we do all the right things we know it’s down to us and in that respect we are confident we can achieve.

"The team has some goals, obviously to perform better next season which collectively is the most important goal, but personally for me, I am just focused on having a good season and getting Fulham as high up the table as possible."

Fulham's participation in the 2007 Barclays Asia Trophy has provided a new challenge with training and matches being played in intense humidity and McBride is pleased with how Fulham's preparations for next season are shaping up.

"The team has worked very hard this pre-season. I think we are now really starting to gel - the coaches have put us through a good programme and it’s been a good test so far. One of the hardest things on this tour is that the air is thick and heavy and even though we are not used to playing in conditions like this I think that in the end it’s going to help us.

"In fitness in pre-season you have to give yourself a push and the exertion from the conditions is not a bad thing. I think it's impossible to press for 90 minutes straight in these conditions. You have to pick and choose dependent on the shape and I think on Tuesday we had a very good shape especially in the first thirty minutes - we closed the ball down quite well and got in some good positions and the biggest thing is that when you take your breaks you make sure you keep your shape.

"We want to be a team now that competes in every game we play from the beginning of the season and from what I have seen of the attitude this pre-season I think the future can be very positive for us."