ANY THOUGHTS the Wanderers players had of escaping the bad weather back home were soon dashed when they commenced training in Austrian town of Bad Aussee.

"It's like being back at home here in Austria because it's chucking it down!" said Andy O'Brien from the Club's training base.

Not that the players were going there for anything other than getting fit for the new season which kicks off in just over a month's time.

Although they returned to training last Wednesday, Gary Megson's men flew out to Austria yesterday as part of their preparations for August 16 and beyond.

O'Brien said: "We arrived on Monday and trained this morning, football-wise. This afternoon we did a lot of fitness and physical work and that's the procedure for the rest of the week: double sessions, eating properly and recovering in the evening."

Quite a few other football clubs are training in Austria, and the Irishman is a big fan of the area.

He added: "It's quiet. The scenery is nice and the facilities are very good. It's a case of coming out here to work and do the job which is to get fit, or build the platform to get fit, for the pre-season games.

"We've only been back a week, but in terms of new backroom staff everybody brings along new and different ideas. The proof will be in the pudding as results are what we the players, management and staff get judged on.

"If we can start the season the way we finished the last one then we'll certainly be a lot better than we were last year because we didn't get off to a very good start unfortunately and we were chasing our tails for the rest of the season."

Megson has already spent big and recruited two new players to the camp and O'Brien believes Johan Elmanderand Fabrice Muamba have both slotted in well with the squad.

"The new lads are fantastic," he said. "Elmander hasn't travelled to Austria with us because he played for Sweden in the Euros but Fabrice is here. He's had a great upbringing at Arsenal. He's already got Premier League experience and he's only 20 - he can only get better.

"They have both got great pedigrees and will both add a lot to the team."

The players return to the United Kingdom on Sunday and take on Rochdale at Spotland in the first of their pre-season games next Friday.