Watson is due to have a pin removed from his foot on Wednesday and plans to increase his training load as soon as possible after a frustrating seven weeks.

Adelaide's first-round game is against A-League premier and champion Brisbane Roar at Suncorp Stadium on 12 October.

"I dislocated the joint in my toe in our first trial game," Watson said. "Ten minutes in and I was taking a shot. I struck through the ball and hit someone's studs with my foot, right on the bone.

"I tried to let it heal for two or three weeks, but unfortunately that didn't happen and I had to get a pin put in there. That's been in there for four weeks and it gets taken out today.

"It was just an unfortunate accident; you can't do much about it. During the first couple of weeks I thought it was going to heal naturally. The doctor said I could jog on it and stuff, but it just didn't feel right, so I haven't run for five weeks now.

"I haven't been doing much in terms of training, just whatever I can to try to keep up my fitness. Some bike work and whatever the physios have allowed me to do. I haven't completely been sitting on my backside. I've been able to do something, which is good.

"In total it's been seven weeks, so a large chunk of the pre-season."

Watson said he hoped to be back running within days.

"It's pretty quick once the pin comes out, as long as there's no pain," he said. "I aim to be running again by the weekend and I hope to be back in full training within a couple of weeks.

"I've been walking around wearing an open shoe, like a sandal. I've been walking pretty normal for the last week and a half, although obviously with a pin sticking out of my foot!"

Adelaide has a second-round FFA Cup game against Roar at Coopers Stadium on 23 September, as well as further trial games before and, presumably, after.

Asked just how soon he thought he would be able to play again, Watson replied: "If everything goes well and I'm back in full training in two weeks, then I'm hoping that by four weeks from now I'll be playing.

"I'd hope to be fit for round one, but you just don't know for sure until you see how it goes. Hopefully there are no complications and in four weeks I'm right back into the full swing of things.

"I'd love to get a game in before round one. I'd like to think there was a slight chance of playing in the FFA Cup game, but the club doesn't want to rush anything. I guess it would be a bonus if I was available for that.

"The season is just around the corner, so I'm concentrating on being ready for that. I've been like a kid whose birthday is coming up, waiting to get the pin taken out. I've really been looking forward to it."

Watson said the pre-season vibe at Adelaide was very positive and that the addition of Barcelona great Guillermo Amor as the club's technical director, working with fellow Spaniard and coach Josep Gombau, had been a huge boost for the club.

"He sat back and watched over the training sessions early on and talked with Josep, but now he's starting to get more involved," Watson said.

"He can speak enough English to be able to communicate with the players. He's quiet as a person, so you won't see him being too vocal at training. He'll talk to you on the side, or whenever there's a break in training.

"Being the player that he was and the background that he has, getting advice from someone of that calibre is going to help each individual and the team as a whole.

"As the season goes on and his English gets better, I'm sure he'll feel more comfortable as well. He'll be able to communicate more with players.

"He'll be a great addition to the club. It will be good for everyone."