Jack Cork Swans Swansea City USA

17th July

Jack Cork believes Swansea City are on course to be in peak condition when they kick off the new Premier League season.
The Swans' opening-day trip to Burnley is now just under four weeks away.
And as Francesco Guidolin's men head back to Wales after a ten-day stint in America, Cork reckons they are in decent shape.  
"It's been a really good trip,'' said the midfielder. "The result in our last tour game was not good, but the previous one was better and it's been positive overall.
"We have got some good fitness and some good bonding out of the trip.
"It's been great for some of the young lads to come in and work with the first team. They have got some good experience.
"It's also good for us to see what they are like. We'll know about them now if they are needed during the season.
"We have still got a good month to prepare ourselves before the season starts.
"We have some good games back home and as the season gets closer, we will be concentrating more on the results than the fitness. I am sure the games will get more competitive as we go along."



The Swans had outclassed Charlotte Independence in their opening game in the States, with Wayne Routledge netting twice as Guidolin's men chalked up a 4-0 victory.
But it was a different story in their second friendly against United Soccer League opposition as Richmond Kickers ran out 2-0 winners.
The Swans trailed thanks to a Jordi Amat own goal before an electrical storm struck just before half-time, leading to play being suspended for 95 minutes.
When the game eventually restarted, the tourists enjoyed their best spell only to concede a second goal, scored by Richmond striker Anthony Grant on the counter-attack.
"It was a strange night," Cork added. "The early pre-season games are not really about the result. It's more about the fitness at this stage.
"We did a big running session the day before the fixture and the game was almost like another training session for us.
"Obviously it gets competitive and the result does get to you at the end, but it was a good workout for us and we feel we are keeping on track for when the season starts."
As had been the case at Charlotte, Guidolin played different XIs in each half against Richmond.
The second-half side ended up playing 48 minutes, with Guidolin making the changes a little earlier in the game than planned as a result of the storm.
Cork was among the players who were due to come on at half-time, but ended up arriving to complete the last three minutes of the first period and then carrying straight on into the second half.
"The break was crazy," Cork said. "We thought the game was going to be called off because the storm was pretty bad.
"Luckily it passed and we managed to get going, but it was certainly a strange one."