The Wanderers were flattened by the most demanding schedule an A-League club has ever faced last season, with ACL commitments at either end of it and A-League games jammed ridiculously close together at times to try to make way.

The team made history by becoming the first from Australia to win the ACL, but not surprisingly it struggled in the wake of that and its most recent ACL campaign ended at the group stage.

But despite being tired, the Wanderers managed to raise enough of an effort to crawl off the bottom of the A-League table and avoid the wooden spoon, finishing ninth of the 10 teams.

ACL participation is a doubled-edged sword for A-League clubs. It opens the gate to Asia and big games in front of big crowds, but at the same time it makes heavy demands of players on top of their A-League commitments.

This is the first time the Wanderers have had a clear break and uninterrupted pre-season since before their debut season in 2012-2013.

Jamieson said the players who were there last season and particularly those who had been at the club since its exception had really appreciated the opportunity to freshen up and concentrate solely on the next A-League season.

"That's something I've spoken to a few of the players about since I got here," Jamieson said. "Apart from their first season they've always had Asian Champions League commitments during the off-season, so this is their first proper bloc of a pre-season training preparation and they're enjoying it.

"The club has put together a schedule where we don't really go overseas for any pre-season tournaments or anything, so the players are quite happy about that.

"It was pretty clear that the schedule they had last season was a vigorous one and they found it hard to adjust to it, but I think this proper bloc of pre-season without any other commitments will put us in good stead."

The Wanderers squad started training last week under the assistant coaching staff. Head coach Tony Popovic will return next week from an overseas trip to take charge.

"We started training last Wednesday and had another session on Friday," said Jamieson, who joined the club from Perth Glory.

1st Day Done — Scott Jamieson (@ScottJamieson) July 1, 2015

"This week we've trained Monday, Tuesday and Thursday and we've got a session on Friday as well.

"It's basically conditioning stuff at the moment, just getting a good solid base. Gruelling sessions where you're cursing inside but you know it's going to benefit you.

"I find this sort of preparation more to my liking. You get to establish that aerobic base working with the ball and without the ball. It's really good."

Jamieson was born in Sydney and is glad to be back home.

"The players here have been great to me and the staff has been of great assistance when needed as well," he said. "It's just about coming to terms with a different way at a new club and I'm really enjoying it so far.

"I played with 'Bridgey' (Mark Bridge) and Shannon Cole at Sydney FC and got along with them really well, so it's good to be playing alongside them again here, but everyone has been really welcoming and that's made it enjoyable."

The Professional Footballers Australia A-League team of the year for last season, as voted by the players, was named on Wednesday and Jamieson was included at left-back.

It is often a difficult position to fill and sometimes right-footers end up there because of a lack of specialist defensive left-footers, but natural left-footer Jamieson has excelled there during his A-League career.

"I was pleasantly surprised with my inclusion," Jamieson said. "I thought I was solid without being spectacular last season. It's one of the big things, being voted on by your peers, so I'm pretty chuffed.

Proud and pleasantly surprised to have been recognized by my peers in the @thepfa Team. Appreciate it and congrats to everyone else — Scott Jamieson (@ScottJamieson) July 8, 2015

"As a fellow professional you take a bit more out of it when it's voted on by the players you play against week, in week out."

Asked which left-backs had particularly impressed him last season, Jamieson replied: "I think young (Alex) Gersbach had a good, solid season for his age at Sydney FC.

"And then you've got someone like Daniel Georgievski, who's a right-footer and probably a right-back, but who did very well at left-back for Melbourne Victory.

"Tarek Elrich is in the PFA team at right-back, even though he played some left-back last season for Adelaide United. He's a natural right-footer and he had a terrific season.

"There are some very good players out there, so to be named is very humbling.

"This is the second time I've been picked. I made it once when I was at Adelaide. It's a great honour."

Jamieson, 26, believes he should be about to enter the best years of his football life.

"I've made a few mistakes and learnt a few things," he said. "So I'm in good stead to have a crack, that's for sure."