Behind the scenes insight into Blackburn Rovers' Spain training camp

They opted for Marbella in Spain, and they weren’t alone, Championship sides Huddersfield Town and Coventry City doing likewise, while Ajax, Sturm Graz and UD Almeria also used the facilities.

Jon Dahl Tomasson had previously spent time there when manager of Malmo and during his time with the Denmark national team, while Bodo/Glimt based themselves there during Gregg Broughton’s period with the Norwegian side.

Both of Rovers’ friendlies were played at the Marbella Football Center, an impressive facility around 15 minutes drive away from the team hotel which they shared alongside Ajax.

The Dutch side had an extensive coaching staff with them - one which could themselves have made a decent team, including Johnny Heitinga, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, Michael Reiziger and also Rovers title-winner Richard Witschge.

They, along with Rovers, trained at pitches a 10 minute walk away from the hotel, which included a gym facility.

Rovers trained there as a squad on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, while on Friday, those who weren’t involved against Hearts had a lighter session.

Included in that was Sam Gallagher, back on the training pitch after more than two weeks out which was a real positive.

Georgie Gent flew out to boost numbers on Wednesday night, with Jake Garrett and Jack Vale having picked up minor injuries while in Marbella, and by the end of the trip there were 33 players out in Spain.

Having travelled out myself on Thursday, the opportunity to watch a training session, albeit with a reduced group, demonstrated the meticulous levels of planning that goes into things you see on the pitch on a Saturday afternoon and midweek nights.

It finished with set plays routines, both attacking and defending, and also with a 10 minute drill on counter-pressing from opposition throw-ins.

The level of detail given to the players is illuminating, with Jon Dahl Tomasson’s voice a constant presence, alongside the studious Remy Reijnierse.

Hovering above each training session is a drone filming the action which is then clipped up and reviewed, so every players’ actions are accounted for.

Sessions such as this demonstrate the quality and talent within the squad, and for players as a whole at this level. The difficulties obviously come with the pressured situations of having three points at stake and an opposition trying to stop you.

As the 11 who played against Ajax were put through their paces, the other members of the squad were preparing for the Hearts friendly.

A smattering of supporters were at the Marbella Football Center for the game which Rovers dominated from the off.

There was a competitive edge to the game, but certainly didn’t cross the line in the same way Hearts’ friendly with UD Almeria did on Sunday, abandoned in the first half after altercations between both sets of players.

There was a real quality to all three of Rovers’ first half strikes, while Bradley Dack got a goal to add to his two first half assists soon after the restart.

There was a lull thereafter, until the drinks break at the midway point of the half where there was a clear demand from Tomasson to keep the intensity high.

The Rovers players responded, and one thing to be taken from playing in such surroundings is the communication between the players. While easy to do at 4-0, the players were demanding of each other to carry out what was being asked of them by the head coach.

More Rovers fans gathered for the second friendly against Ajax, armed with a new favourite player.

The likes of Ben Brereton, Bradley Dack and John Buckley have all become used to being serenaded by the Rovers supporters, but the latest was lesser known in Pat Gamble.

The central defender, who signed his first professional contract with the club in the summer, was a late addition to the group, flying out to join up with the squad on Friday night, alongside Kristi Montgomery, to boost numbers for the Ajax game.

On the same flight were a selection of fans who, intent on making the most of the opportunity, were more than happy to see Gamble again at the game.

It certainly came as a surprise to the rest of the squad watching on from the balcony, later joined by Gallagher who had trained separately with the medical team.

They watched on as an impressive performance saw Rovers run out 2-0 winners thanks to a Tyrhys Dolan double.

Harry Pickering was replaced in the first half, but Tomasson allayed injury fears, stating that it was illness that forced the left back off, something that another member of the squad had previously struggled with.

Then came a quick turnaround, the Rovers players heading to the airport for a tea-time flight and back to Brockhall.

Preparations will step up now ahead of the return to action against Preston North End with a solid week of training behind them.

While the focus is always on the 11 players on the pitch at any given time, and the result at the end, these trips act as a timely reminder of the work that goes on behind the scenes.

Every member of the backroom team is fully committed to ensuring their job is done to give those who take to the pitch the best possible chance.

Their role may not be directly able to affect the result on every given day, but done irrespective of what has happened on the pitch.

The planning is meticulous, player welfare at the forefront of everything and geared towards matchday.

The responsibility of results will always fall on the players and coaching staff, hence the scrutiny that comes with it, but in good times and bad, there is a strong backroom staff entrusted to give them the best possible chance.