West Ham to start pre-season in Switzerland again

West Ham’s start to the season may have been less than impressive, but Pellegini must have liked the preparation. The Hammers will return to Switzerland this season to begin their season.

4 losses to start the season isn’t usually the kind of start you want, and some people were questioning West Ham’s season preparation. However Pellegrini obviously isn’t and is keen to start his second pre-season in Switzerland again.

Given it’s high altitude, decent temperatures and dedicated fitness camps Switzerland is a favourite place of Premier League teams to start their preparations, and I don’t see it being at all bad for the Hammers in terms of building on last season. And for any new signings, it’s a good place to start laying down the law in terms of what to expect over the next season.

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Most people involved with sports will tell you that the worst bit of playing in a team sport is the pre-season preparation. Gruelling runs, working muscles you’ve let rest for a few months and running off that excess weight is not fun at all, and no-one wants to be last in the races or long distance runs. It pits teammates against each other and allows the manager to evaluate mental state going forward. Doing it at altitude is a killer, but will push the boys in Claret and Blue to adapt quickly.

Last year Pellegrini was dealing with someone else’s squad with a few of his own additions. This year most of the squad is aware of what he wants and he will be able to shape it over the summer. Players he doesn’t want will be let go and those he wants will be brought in. There will be no excuses for a drop in standards and there will be no slacking allowed as the Hammers look to build on a record season at London Stadium.

If you were Pellegrini where would you want to have your pre-season camp start? What would be the most important aspects for you to take account of with a new squad? Would new players be expected to fit in, or push beyond what the existing squad is doing?