For all the talk back home of Newcastle United facing an intense battle to sign the forward Eddie Howe feels he needs to boost his squad, spirits are still high about 1,200 miles away with the Magpies now settled in their Austrian training camp.
Howe has mixed things up with some tough double training sessions and some fun and games "after work" with United players enjoying a go-karting session last night in pleasant balmy temperatures. It's certainly a stark contrast to just 12 months ago when Newcastle arrived in rainy York and knowing there wouldn't be much money to spend as former owner Mike Ashley kept the purse typically tight.
There will certainly be more money to spend this time around but despite competition for places intensifying this summer morale in the camp seems excellent as we build-up to the opening game against 1860 Munich right here on Friday afternoon.
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Return to Austria brings back memories of a decade ago
United will play on Austrian soil for the first time since 2012 when they drew 1-1 with Turkish side Fenerbahce. That game took place amid a monsoon in Ritzing when Alan Pardew's team were held by the Canaries despite a wonderful strike from Mehdi Abeid to round off a tour of Austria and Germany.
The mood was good back then and there was good reason for that after Pardew had guided Newcastle into Europe with a fifth place finish in the club's best performance in a season in modern times. Pardew was also in good fettle and even invited me and another local journalist to the team's base in Munich for a drink as well as offering brilliant access with the players conducting interviews in the hotel restaurant.
Although, there was also a word of caution from Pardew too as he felt the Europa League would stretch his squad to the limit. Remember only Vurnon Anita arrived that summer as Ashley withheld funds and Pardew was left to go into battle with youngsters like Abeid, Sammy Ameobi, Haris Vuckic and Shane Ferguson as squad men.
That day he made it clear from the offset he would rotate the squad for nights in Europe, especially in the early stages. His fear - a valid one - was that the Thursday night nature of Europa League action would be a strain on his players.
And so it proved, Pardew was left with the tough decision of going for a trophy in the shape of the European prize and trying to battle for another good finish in the Premier League.
In the end, Pardew's side reached the quarter-finals but were beaten by Benfica over two legs and the remainder of the season saw his drained squad scrape to a 16th place finish and manage to stave off the drop with just a game to go. There is no European schedule to factor in for Howe this season and fans will hope that a top 10 place can be the initial aim this term.
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