GARY Megson told his squad to expect a week of hard labour when they jet out to the Austrian Alps.

Wanderers take their entire first team squad to the picturesque spa town of Bad Aussee tomorrow but the manager insists sightseeing will not be on the agenda.

Set some 2,162 feet above sea level, the club will set up a seven-day fitness camp before commencing their pre-season fixtures in Germany with a game against Borussia Monchengladbach on July 25.

Megson is familiar with the mountain resort, set in the geographical centre of the country, having based his squad there last season.

But the Wanderers boss insists that despite the luxurious surroundings, his only objective is to prepare the players for the Premier League season ahead.

“We’re in a fortunate position in that we are a Premier League club and we can afford to do that,” he said. “The place is great — we go to a spa, train in the mornings and afternoons with a lot of weights, circuit training and interval running.

“It is really difficult for them, so the few days of training they have had here at Euxton is more a preparation for that because it will be the most intense week they will have during the year.”

Joey O’Brien and Ricardo Vaz Te were among those back in full training yesterday, and both will be hoping to prove to their manager that they are back in contention after long-term injuries.

Danny Shittu also trained for the first time, leaving only Fabrice Muamba and Ricardo Gardner still to return.

“A successful pre-season is getting through it without picking up any injuries, getting fit and feeling that your players have been given enough preparation,” added Megson.

“Most clubs have a format that they work to. The initial part is getting base fitness and then as you get a little bit nearer to the season, it gets a little bit quicker, a little bit shorter and there is more emphasis on ball work. At the moment it is longer distance stuff in the main.”

On their return from Austria, Wanderers will have only a few days in England before flying out to Holland for three friendles.

That will be followed by a game at Tynecastle against Hearts, and Jussi Jaaskelainen’s charity testimonial against Hibs at the Reebok on August 8.

The schedule suits Megson, who admits he is not a big fan of pre-season curtain-raisers.

“I’m not a big believer in a lot of pre-season games,” he told Wanderers World. “It’s a bit of a misnomer — you ask players to stop if they feel any injury, to watch your challenges, there are no prizes, all that type of stuff.

“So, really, we are practising all the things that we don’t want them to do when we kick off against Sunderland, when we don’t want them to watch their challenges and we do want them to get through 90 minutes.

“Unfortunately now, with the size of the Premier League and the intense media interest in what every club does, you do tend to get judged on pre-season results when really all it is about is preparation so that you are right for the first day of the season.”