The defender now in his tenth year at the club said "Even Andrew Whing had a go there on Sunday and did well, so I am under no illusions. It is going to be difficult and all I can do is keep working hard and see what happens. "We have had a good ten days in Germany. "The training has been good and we have had a couple of decent games, and all the lads to a man have worked hard. "I am pleased with myself but I am also pleased with the way the younger lads in the team have responded to coming back. "I think the squad is shaping up very nicely.
"It is unfortunate that Tim Sherwood had to go home early but other than that I think this is as good a team spirit as I have known for a long time. "That is no disrespect to anyone who was here previously but there seems to be a real togetherness among the lads. "Everyone has worked hard and no one has shirked. Everyone has had a laugh and a joke at the right time and for the first time in a couple of years I am really excited about this season and how we can do if we apply ourselves in the manner we have done so far, and hopefully we can pose a few teams problems. " We have had 20 odd players out in Germany and each player has performed very well so the manager has got a problem in that respect.
"Notts County and Norwich are going to be games that will be more about fine tuning and working on set-pieces, patterns of play and shape as well as the fitness side of things, so they will be two very important games. "The German tour has been good for fitness and to get a feel of the ball but the games back here will be a much better test and I am looking forward to those games before the big kick-off against Sunderland. "It is important we do things right in the next few weeks because we have got a tough start with Cardiff and Brighton away as well, and get a good start."