Stoke City manager Alex Neil believes the Club is in a “strong situation”, having recruited 11 new signings before Saturday’s season opener against Rotherham United.
The Potters have added several new players as part of a significant reset at the bet365 Stadium, which has contributed to a renewed enthusiasm and optimism for the new campaign.
“The first game has been a long time coming and I think now we are all ready to get stuck into it,” City’s Manager explained on Friday afternoon.
“Ideally, I would have liked everybody in for the start of pre-season so we could have done all the training together and we could have put the layers in the team, in terms of how we are going to perform against different shapes, but that was never going to be the case.
“I think we find ourselves in a strong situation, in the fact that we have done a large part of our business, which means that we are going to be competitive on the pitch for the first game, but we have also got some scope to improve the squad and try and strengthen in some areas as well. It is a healthy position for us to be in.
“We still have work to do, we have done some good work to this point but we are not finished.”
The Potters have recruited a mix of players with previous Championship experience and some, in the cases of Chiquinho, Andre Vidigal, Ryan Mmaee and Wesley, who could make their first appearance in the English second tier this weekend.
Neil has confidence in his new recruits following a training week consisting of predominantly 11v11 sessions to support the integration of City’s new look Potters at Clayton Wood, however, he also emphasised the importance of a degree of patience being afforded to the Club’s new signings.
“I think the fans are showing that excitement and that optimism for the season,” Neil continued.
“We are really confident with the lads that we have brought in.
“What I will say, particularly for some of the lads that have come from abroad, we just need to give them a little bit of time to settle in, but I believe they’ll be very good for us.
“Our first task is to make sure that the fans enjoy what they see from their team in terms of effort, structure and making sure that we are moving the ball well, we are attacking and on the front foot.
“If we do that, the fans will then respond in kind and that’s the aim.”
Saturday’s visitors claimed four points from the Potters last season, securing a 1-0 victory at the bet365 Stadium in October before holding Neil’s side to a 2-2 draw in South Yorkshire on Boxing Day.
The Potters’ manager expects a similarly tough test from the Millers, having watched Matt Taylor’s side during pre-season.
“Last year we really struggled [against Rotherham United],” Neil added. “I thought we played well in both games but ultimately we didn’t win, and that’s the key of the game to try and get the three points.
“It is going to be a tough match. I watched Rotherham in pre-season against Lincoln City and Sheffield United and I thought they performed well in both games.
“We know what is coming from Rotherham but, equally, it is not easy to stop because they are effective at what they do.
“We know what we have to do, though, and we have to make sure our home form is better than what it was last year.”
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