BLACKBURN players are under orders to return for pre-season fighting fit – with Sam Allardyce setting them a double target ahead of the new Premier League season.

The Rovers manager is determined to build on last season’s impressive top 10 finish, and believes if they can improve their fitness levels and their firepower they can enjoy a “very, very good”

season next time round.

Rovers’ squad have been working on individual fitness programmes set by Allardyce’s staff throughout the summer and will be expected to return for pre-season in good shape.

In a bid to ensure Rovers go into the new campaign fitter than ever, Allardyce’s squad return on Monday, earlier than the majority of their rivals, as no stone is left unturned to give them the best preparation possible.

While the search for a striker continues to be hampered by a lack of transfer funds, Allardyce believes he can do something to improve his side’s fitness this summer.

Allardyce said: “We are back before anyone else. We are back on the 28th of June, so we are doing all we can to be fitter than we were last year.

“If there were two things we could improve on it would be our fitness and our goal scoring. If we can improve on those we will be very, very good next year.

"One of the good things for us is we were safe with eight games to go last season. Me and the backroom staff have got all guns blazing in terms of fitness tests and fitness programmes.”

Rovers set off to their training camp in Austria on July 3, where they play Sturm Graz before returning for a handful of pre-season friendlies in England.

They then jet off to compete in the inaugural Sydney Festival of Football towards the end of July, where they play games against the hosts, Rangers and AEK Athens.

Rovers end their Premier League preparations with a trip to Scottish Premier League outfit Hearts on August 7 before their league opener against Everton at Ewood Park a week later.

Allardyce said: “We gave the lads a lot of time off towards the end of last season to get the batteries recharged and finish the season as strong as they did.

"People asked why they got so much time off. It was because there was no point in training any more.

“Training them any more would have made them less capable of playing on a Saturday than more.

"Trusting them was the name of the game.

"Trusting them to take the rest the right way and looking after themselves.

"That gave us the time of planning pre-season.

“A couple of trips to America came up that were very, very interesting for us and then this Australia trip came up.

“It was very exciting for the teams we are playing and the money we were getting.

"It is a bit far but based on the teams we are playing and the money we are getting, and the timing, it was right for us.”