Before the Derby County first team squad departed for the summer, Ikechi Anya sat down to explain the important of remaining in top condition during the break.


A period of rest is crucial for the players after the grind of a long 46-game Sky Bet Championship season, but the fitness staff at the Derby County Training Centre make sure that the likes of Anya are ready to go again when they return.

In years gone by, pre-season might have been seen as the time to get back in shape, but that is no longer the case.

“It’s not the time to relax. I want to build from that solid base because if you don’t, then you find yourself playing catch-up during pre-season,” Anya explained.

“The guys give us watches and you can see everything. With the way that technology is these days, big brother is everywhere!

“Everybody will come back fit, raring to go and ready to prove their worth to the team.”

The team will return for training with their new boss Frank Lampard later this week, but for now, all eyes are on the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

As a Scotland international, Anya would prefer to be playing on the world stage, but he admits that watching is the next best thing.

He said: “I’m a football fan so I’ll be looking at all of the teams and it will be good to spend some time with my friends and family.

“It’s always nice when the World Cup is on, obviously it would be better to be playing in them, but it’s the second-best thing.”