By Blackburn Rovers FC
Rovers have this morning jetted off to Portugal for a week-long warm weather training camp.
New Head Coach Jon Dahl Tomasson has taken a 28-man squad out to the Algarve, as he continues to get to know his new group of established and emerging players.
It will be a first pre-season tour in three years for Bradley Dack, following two lengthy injury lay-offs, whilst Ben Brereton also makes the trip, despite only just returning to training this week, having had an extended break due to his international commitments with Chile.
Hayden Carter, Tyler Magloire and Dan Butterworth, who all ended the 2021-22 season out on loan, will all be given an opportunity to impress, along with the likes of Jack Vale, Jake Garrett, Sam Barnes and Jordan Eastham, who make the step up from the Under-23s.
Also included in the travelling party are summer signing Ethan Walker, promising young duo Adam Wharton and Harry Leonard, who both signed pro contracts with the club last season, and England youth international Ash Phillips, who today celebrates his 17th birthday.
The group will be put through their paces by new Performance Director Ben Rosen, whilst Tomasson will look to implement his technical and tactical principles of play, as preparations build ahead of the start of the 2022-23 season, which is now less than five weeks away.
Rovers return from Portugal next Sunday, before kicking-off their pre-season schedule away to Accrington Stanley on Saturday July 9th, which will now take the shape of two 60-minute matches.
Further friendlies against Dundee, Celtic, Hartlepool United and Lincoln City follow, before Rovers get their Championship campaign underway at home to QPR on Saturday July 30th.
