Pre-season opener 'a fitness drill' for Dons boss Warne
The club got their pre-season campaign underway on Saturday
Paul Warne is not looking too deeply into MK Dons’ 2-1 defeat to St Mirren in Spain over the weekend, insisting it was just a glorified training session.
The side were given their first tentative run-out while in Murcia, taking on Stephen Robinson’s side in their third pre-season game. And though they came out on the wrong end of the scoreline, head coach Warne was not too concerned.
“It’s what we wanted from the game,” he said. “We wanted 45 minutes of proper football and to get through the week without any injuries. I enjoyed the game for what it was: It’s just a fitness drill, for me it’s a training session to get the players to press when they’re exhausted.
“As always in the first game, you don’t really move the ball quick enough, we didn’t give any tactical knowledge to the lads into how St Mirren play, so they had to solve their own problems.
“I liked that we had a bit more cutting edge at the top end of the pitch. As the games go on, we’ll make steps and by the time the season starts, we’ll be in fine fettle.
“I love Robbo and how he has his teams play, so it was a good test for us. It was their third game and our first, so I knew they would be a bit further ahead than us and from a work-out perspective, it was good.”
Heading back to Milton Keynes this week, the head coach was pleased with how the club’s trip to Spain has played out, adding: “I’ve really enjoyed it, listening to the lads’ stories. They’ve all been punctual, have never sat in the same seats at dinner to speak to everyone, the little things people don’t see.
“There hasn’t been an undercurrent, everyone is in it together. If you want to get on the end of a pass or a cross for someone, it’s important to have that bond with them from the start. It’s paramount to me, everyone will play a part.”