Manager speaks on WHUTV

Avram Grant has given his first thoughts on new recruits Frederic Piquionne and Pablo Barrera exclusively to WHUTV.

Go online now to watch the manager's interview as the team trained again on Saturday in Germany ahead of the evening fixture against VfL Borussia Monchengladbach in Ruhpolding. Piquionne arrived in the early hours of the morning before joining his new team-mates out on the training pitch for a light session at 10am.

He shook hands with everyone before the players began with some ball work games where the squad were divided into two groups. With two players at a time taking turns to be in the middle, the aim was to do one-touch passing while keeping the ball away from them. Whoever messed up then had to take their turn being in the centre. There was plenty of banter as the pace quickened, while coaches Paul Groves and Kevin Keen also got involved.

After about 30 minutes, the players then went through some stretching drills before Piquionne and Scott Parker - who only began his pre-season work this week - were taken on a run around the grounds. The others were free to go for a light lunch ahead of a couple hours' rest but a few chose to stay out on the pitch for a little while longer - not least Alessandro Diamanti and Thomas Hitzlsperger, with the two left-footers whacking precision passes back and forth to each other across the pitch.