The young Blues touched down in south-east Spain on Sunday evening and started what Unsworth promises will be a “very, very intense” week’s work with a session combining fitness work and match practice on Monday morning.
Unsworth confessed he was “astounded” by the “amazing” physical condition of his players when they reported back to the Club’s USM Finch Farm headquarters seven days ago.
And with training set to step up a notch under the searing Spanish sun, the Under-23 boss is urging his charges to source inspiration from the raft of players who have progressed from his side into Everton’s first-team in recent seasons.
“This week will be very, very intense; the added heat and exposure the players get here is fantastic from a fitness point of view,” Unsworth told evertontv.
“It will be a really tough week – but a great week.
“I always start pre-season by saying to the players, ‘Try to get through it, it is going to be tough, but stay clear of injuries if you can and just get through it – and try to enjoy it.
“There are certain things we have to go through and certain pain barriers the players have to go through but that comes with pre-season.
“Everything is done differently now. It is sports science led and we do a lot of things with the ball. But the hard graft is still there and the volume is a lot more intense than during the season.
“We look forward to it. I know the players sometimes don’t – but it is work they have to get through to be top players.”
The physical work Everton’s youngsters will undertake across the next seven days is designed to develop the core fitness to sustain them for the next nine months.
Equally, Unsworth expects the challenging conditions and demanding nature of the camp to aid his players mentally and strengthen ties within his squad.
“That is something we talk about a lot [the players forming a bond],” said Unsworth, whose charges will typically train two or three times each day throughout their stay in Spain.
“I have already noticed a difference in the first week back. We were a very young group last year and sometimes that team spirit and togetherness is not always there when you have a young team.
“But I have already seen elements I am really happy with from a team point of view. We are in the business of producing individuals for the first team but we want to form that team spirit and togetherness, too.
“And when you come to La Manga and are living in each other’s pockets it does form a bond that can provide a base for the season.
“When you are doing three sessions a day and the players are tired, you see them in a different light. We know them inside out, anyway, because we work them so hard and have known them for years and years.
“It is always a good indication of how your season is going to pan out when you see the players fatigued and digging in.
“With the mental strength needed to get through certain sessions, it is always interesting to see their characters. And because they are young and developing players, you see a big change in their physique and mentality year after year.”
Unsworth has seen the likes of Tom Davies, Jonjoe Kenny and Beni Baningime advance from the Under-23s set-up into the Toffees’ senior ranks in the past two seasons, while that trio’s fellow Academy graduates Callum Connolly and Kieran Dowell are both with Marco Silva’s first-team squad in Austria this week.
And former Everton defender Unsworth, whose side will aim to reclaim the Premier League 2 title they won in 2016/17 when the new campaign kicks off next month, admits this concentrated training block represents a rare and precious opportunity for the young Blues’ coaching staff.
“We get more time on the training pitch and get to experiment with certain sessions,” added Unsworth.
“I always enjoy pre-season from a coaching point of view. You get to work with your team to a volume you would not normally be able to, because [during the season] you are always trying to recover and lead into the next game.
“It is always an important time as a coach and I really enjoy it.
“The great thing about Everton is that young players always get the opportunity. That is something we have always done and I am very proud of saying that. Not many clubs can say they have done that consistently over a long period. The lads know the carrot is there in front of them. They have to produce performances that highlight themselves as individuals – but as a team as well.
“They always know that if they are good enough it does not matter what age they are, they will get an opportunity at Everton.”
