Charles Vernam says this week’s trip to Portugal is a ‘great opportunity’ for Derby County’s Under 21s to try and catch the eye of the club’s new Manager Nigel Pearson.

The Rams’ first team, Under 21s and 18s head out to the Algarve tomorrow afternoon for a week-long training camp as preparations for the 2016/17 season begin to intensify.

Not that it has not been intense to date, with all three of the club’s age groups regularly enduring double training sessions including a mixture of fitness and football work over the course of last week.

Speaking on Derby’s pre-season to date, Vernam told dcfc.co.uk: “Pre-season is always a difficult time because we have to work so hard.





“We get ran around a lot, but it’s something that we know we need to do.





“We enjoy it because we are doing the job that we love. It becomes easier when you think about it like that, it will stand us all in good stead going into the season.





“The run around Allestree Park on the second day was an easy way to get started, but we all enjoyed it and got through it together.





“It’s been great to be back with the group. They are all such a great group of lads, we all get on well and it was great to be back around them.”

This week will represent the second occasion that Derby’s Under 21s have travelled to Portugal during 2016.

The squad made the journey back in March, when they stayed for five days and notably defeated Sporting Lisbon’s B team 2-0 at their Academia Sporting training complex.

For Vernam and his Under 21 team mates, the week is a key opportunity to impress Pearson and the rest of the coaching staff.

The Under 21s will be staying on the same complex as the first team over the course of the week.

Vernam added: “We went to Portugal earlier this year and we are now out here again this summer.





“It’s a nice place to go, the weather will be nice and like last time, I am sure it will be a great experience for the whole group.





“We will all get our first game time and will act as our next step for the season ahead. These trips always act as great team bonding experiences.





“As a group, we’re absolutely delighted that all of the age groups are going to be heading out there.





“We will be able to learn a lot about how the first team operate, whilst the Under 18s will be able to look up to us and see how we do it.





“It’s a really good opportunity for all of us to get out there and try to impress the new Manager as well as our own coaches to stake a claim for a starting spot at our own level.”

All the hard work the three Derby age groups are putting in is all geared towards being in the best shape possible for the new season.

Plying their trade in a new division for the 2016/17 campaign – against the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur – Vernam is convinced that he and the squad will be able to compete with anyone.

“Last season we were excited about playing in Division 2 and the challenges that came with that,” he added.





“We managed to do really well and we are all still on a high from that. Going into this season, we feel like we can go and cause some upsets.





“We have got a great squad and proved that we can compete with anyone. We will certainly give it a good go and not be afraid of the names that we will come up against.





“We will give them respect, but we will be giving everything in every game to do well this season.”





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