ALAN Pardew admits Saints’ pre-season training camp in Switzerland has given them an indication of what lies in store for them throughout 2010/11.

Saints played two friendlies during their 10-day stop in Switzerland – losing 4-2 to FC Thun last Tuesday and 2-0 to French club Sochaux at the weekend.

Both of those clubs play in the top division in their national league.

“We haven’t had it easy,”

declared Pardew.

“The boys certainly are not having it easy and they won’t get it easy, they will have a tough year all year.”

The manager knows that Saints’ pre-season installation as red hot title favourites by the bookies will make sure all their opponents are fired up – starting with Peter Reid’s Plymouth on August 7.

“People are going to come at us and make it difficult for us,” Pardew continued.

“So we have to find answers, and this is what we will do.

“The tour has been very tough physically, we have done three sessions a day almost every day.

“We have worked ourselves into the ground really and played two top opposition.

“We know we have to go back to England now and pick up a couple of wins under our belt.

“The pre-season has been designed for that purpose, two tough games to put people into reality of where we really are.

“Now we come up against some opposition who are at a lower level and we have got to beat them.

“If we do that then we will be in good shape.”

Of the Sochaux friendly, Pardew, pictured, remarked: “It was a really good workout.

“We were rusty with the ball, but we weren’t rusty with our fitness levels.

“I go away with a good feeling from this game because this is a top division side from France and they had some outstanding individuals.”