Pierce Sweeney has given his thoughts as the Grecians kick-off their pre-season at Tiverton Town on Friday evening, following two weeks of intense training.
"It's been a tough two weeks so far but it's great to be back," Sweens said.
"It's been mentally draining with a couple of early mornings and long days, but it is all beneficial I think. There's a few lads who have never seen two 6 o'clocks in the day! It's a lot different to what I'm used to but I enjoy that - there's no shortcuts with this manager."
The Grecians will make their annual pilgrimage to the Ian Moorcroft Stadium as the steady schedule of matches throughout July start to take shape.
"The first pre-season game after a long wait is always nice, obviously it's going to be Tivvy!
"It's nice to see some old Exeter City faces, and sometimes it's a litle bit feisty. It's always a good opportinity to go there and help get them a big crowd, so we're looking forward to it."
Next week will see the squad journey to Cornwall for a two days training camp including a match against Mousehole and surfing, and Sweens is excited for the trip.
"I don't think some of the lads will be happy going surfing! But it's going to be a nice few days away which helps us bond as a group, we just have to hope the weather stays good!"
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