Joel Latibeaudiere | Tough pre-season will ensure Swansea City are ready for Championship action

Joel Latibeaudiere believes the intensity of Swansea City’s pre-season training will stand the side in good stead ahead of their first Championship game at the end of July.

The defender completed 60 minutes in a behind closed doors friendly against League Two Colchester United at Fairwood on Tuesday as the Swans won that 60-minute contest 1-0.

Latibeaudiere – who played at right back and right wing-back in the friendly – was on the end of Kyle Naughton’s cross to head the ball into the net seven minutes from time.

“It was a tough game but it’s good to get minutes in the legs,” he said.

“It was a good opposition as well because it’s good to play against teams that play that way because we’ll see that in the league games.

“I don’t normally get on the scoresheet so that was nice. I just made the run and you can always count on Kyle to pick the pass out.

“Pre-season has been tough so far. The way we want to play demands real intensity so there’s a lot of work to do, but we’ll definitely be fit for the start of the season.

“Pennyhill Park was great – it’s got fantastic facilities and there was a bit of team bonding too. Just seeing the lads again after a summer off was great – it was all smiles.”

Swans tried a few different formations in the match against Colchester, which was split into two-60 minute contests and saw almost everyone in the squad earn valuable game time.

“It was a good runaround really,” added Latibeaudiere.

“Pre-season is about trying new things so that if we need to change during the season when the games matter we can and we’ll have an answer for everything.

“I think last year because the gaffer came in so late, we didn’t have time to train those different formations. We were almost learning as we were going along so it’s good to get that work in early.

“We were able to play in new formations with new players against Colchester, and build the chemistry that we’ll need moving forward.

“The new players have settled in straight away but, to be honest, it’s one of the best changing rooms you could come into. The lads are great, the staff are great and they’re settling in really well, which is good to see.

“You can tell why they’ve been brought in, they fit into the system so easily.”