OWEN Coyle is hoping to reap the benefits of Burnley’s tour of America, both in the long and short term.

The Clarets’ fly Stateside today in preparation for friendlies with Carolina RailHawks on Thursday and Minnesota Thunder next Tuesday.

And while the games will be used to set the players on the road to full match fitness ahead of the 2008-09 campaign, which begins in less than five weeks’ time, boss Coyle will be keeping an eye open for stars of the future as Burnley look to make trans-atlantic ties with one of the United Soccer Leagues clubs.

“We’re going to America for a few reasons, one, to obviously get the fitness we’re striving for to take us into the new season, we’re getting games at a good level of competition, and the training facilities at Carolina, where we’re based, are first class,” he said.

“Equally we are taking the good name of Burnley Football Club to America, with a view to an affiliation with a USL club, so it makes sense all round.

“There are a couple of younger kids we’re aware of, but anything we do, in whatever country, is looking to get young players through.

“Everyone is aware who players are when they come into the first team at 21 and 22, but we want to get into that bracket of 13 to 17, when kids are coming through and developing. If we have to go all over the world to do that, so be it. We want a young team coming through.

“I think it will be a very positive and worthwhile trip and we’re looking forward to it.”

Coyle is also relishing seeing his players in competitive action after giving them some strenuous pre-season work-outs to heighten their fitness levels.

“We’re looking for match fitness and the new lads to bed in, for them to get a look at the way we like to play, and get to know the players better so that we are all singing from the same hymnsheet,” continued the Clarets chief.

“It will be terrific in terms of team bonding, but we’re not on a jolly, we’re there to work hard and take ourselves onto the next stage of our fitness.

“As much as we do all the physical stuff, there’s a different type of fitness for games.

“We trained on Saturday and played three half-hours. The lads enjoyed it and have a tremendous appetite and we’re just looking for that to continue.”

And Coyle revealed he is already impressed with the level of competition within his 22-man squad, which he still hopes to expand.

“I think they’ve all shown they want to play for the football club with the way they’ve come back They’ve adhered to the fitness programme we gave them, and they’re in tremendous shape and pushing each other on.

“They want to be in that team, so the competition between them is fantastic, but they are still pushing their pals on as well, because they all want the best for the football club, which is incredible to see, and we want to keep that going.

“They’ve all got a part to play, and they also know that we’re loyal – if they’re in the team and doing well, they’ll stay in the team.

“That’s why they’re all pushing to be in that starting XI.”

Thursday night’s game, which will kick-off in the early hours of Friday morning GMT, is the first of nine pre-season friendlies arranged by the Clarets in which Coyle plans to rotate his squad.

“They won’t all play every game, but I personally never felt I was at my maximum in pre-season until I’d played five or six games, so that’s what we’ve tried to do,” he said.

“Players want to play football, but, within that, you need a fitness base. But once you’ve done the physical stuff you do need the games for match sharpness.

“The first game is probably a bit early, so I’m not expecting it to be really intense, but for players to bed themselves in and just get in good habits - back to the basics, to gradually build ourselves up and hopefully, come August 9, be at our best and ready to be at our maximum.”