GARY Waddock and his Shots were on camera today for their return to training, with Sky Sports television visiting the club's training pitches.

The Shots were one of two clubs chosen by Sky to feature live on their Sky Sports News programme, as clubs around the country returned to training.

Hull City, fresh in the Premiership were the second club, with Aldershot’s return to the Football League winning the other Sky vote.

Manager Waddock, speaking as training was about to start this morning, said he and the players were looking forward to having the cameras there but was quick to stress that they would not be distracted.

“It’s very nice that Sky have chosen to come down and see what we are doing,” said Waddock. “It’s a good experience for the players too, to have cameras there.

“But Sky will certainly not be a distraction. They will work around us.”

Waddock said that all of the club’s contracted players would be at training yesterday, including his three close-season signings: striker Marvin Morgan from Woking and defenders Chris Blackburn and Dean Howell from Swindon Town and Rushden & Diamonds respectively.

Waddock added that while there were no non-contracted players at training today, he did expect some other players to participate come tomorrow (Tuesday) and later in the week. “I wanted to chat and plan with the contracted guys first but there are a few players I want to have a look at later in the week,” said Waddock.

The manager was demanding exactly the same attitude from his players as last season, with ‘hard work’ the key.

“Last year our success was built on hard work,” said Waddock. “This season must be the same. The squad has talent and ability but that counts for nothing without the work, commitment and desire to succeed.”

First-team coach Martin Kuhl gave a brief insight into what training would involve for the players.

“The players have a rough idea of what training will involve,” said Kuhl, who takes charge of most of the first team’s training sessions.

“There will be plenty of spinning, swimming and circuits. It will be mostly leg work. The players will be doing routines, like 3,000 metres broken down into stages. Ten 300-metre sprints, similar to the lengths they will run on the pitch, have to be achieved in a certain time.

“There are various fitness tests and the players will be wearing heart-rate monitors to measure their progress.”

Kuhl said that the Army will not be providing any help with the training programme but added: “Clashy [Aldershot first team fitness coach, Russell Clash] used to be in the Army, so he helps us out in that department when required.”

Kuhl believes that football coaching is far more delicate in the modern era, and pre-season isn’t purely for testing players in gruelling regimental regimes, as has previously been the case.

He stressed the importance of the scientific elements in the training programme, and revealed how Aldershot probe Premier League clubs for advanced techniques.