Western Pride' senior coach Kasey Wehrman says he's pleased with the progress made in the off-season by his squad ahead of the team's first pre-season hit out next Wednesday night.

Now in the second week of training after the Christmas and New Year break, Wehrman said the majority of the squad is fit and training well as they prepare for the Silver Boot clash against loca Brisbaen club Eastern Suburbs FC.

“It’s been good so far,” Wehrman said of the pre-season preparations.

“The boys have come back fitter than what I thought, or maybe I’m just less fit than what I thought I was," he joked.

“But they’ve come back in good spirits, we’ve still got a few away here and there, but they will all come back next week and then we’ll have a full strength team.”

Wehrman said the “usuals” had been the standouts in training as the club seeks to improve on its eighth-place finish in its second National Premier Leagues season and their first tilt at the FFA Cup.

“Will Jordan’s fit and ready to go, Lincoln Rule’s fit and ready to go, Jeye Comerford’s fit and ready to go this season, Niall McCarthy’s come back thinner and stronger as well,” he said.

“There’s a good amount of dedication put into the team before I’ve even started, so that makes my job easier.”

The former Socceroo and Newcastle Jets star said the under-20s talent training with the senior squad had also caught his eye.

“To tell you the truth, the boys from the Under 20's have really impressed me,” Wehrman said, “They’ve done a really good job.”

Wehrman added that the team is excited about its first pre-season hit outs against local club sides, saying, "We’ll be up for it next Wednesday.”

Wehrman said this season would be a continuation of last year, and that he won’t be employing a host of new ideas against Easts.

“We have a system and a way of playing and we’ll do that throughout the whole year,” Wehrman said.

“So things won’t change, there’ll be little tactical things here or there, but we’ll start off with the way we want to play for the season and we’ll keep working week in, week out.”

Wehrman has been staying busy over the NPL off-season by assisting the Brisbane Roar coaching staff, where he is assistant to Jeff Hopkins with the Roar's National Youth League side.

Words: Michael Cormack (Western Pride)