Inside Southampton's pre-season training session under Russell Martin

Almost everyone in the group was feeling the effects of their first training session in Turkey, having touched down on the continent on Thursday evening.

Saints were initially scheduled to train in front of supporters at Goztepe’s Gursel Aksel Stadium but tipped 42-degree heat meant the venue was unusable.

Instead, a 45-minute coach journey along the coast westerly to Goztepe’s training ground awaited – with an 8:45AM arrival for the group.

In attendance were Sport Republic’s Rasmus Ankersen, Dragan Solak and Henrik Kraft, as well as most of the centralised scouts now working under the investment firm’s banner.

The Echo’s pre-season tour coverage is supported by Grosvenor Casino

Manager Russell Martin and his staff were out some 30 minutes before the players, who stepped out onto a not-quite-green surface after activation and warm-up.

The session, starting around 9:45AM, began with immediate touches of the ball – quick-paced controlled volleyed returns on a handed delivery and other passing exercises.

Assistant manager Matt Gill, who worked under Martin at MK Dons and Swansea before also joining him for the move to St Mary’s, was extremely vocal throughout.

“Next time we do that, we’ll be even sharper,” he bellowed, as Saints entered another quick-pace drill, with a passer into two adjacent players who complete a triangle either side of a mannequin.

Rotate and move. Martin was pleased by his team’s run-out versus Benfica on Wednesday, despite a two-goal defeat, after seeing the foundations of his principles.

Training focuses on control of the ball and quick passes in tight areas, which will be needed particularly by those operating in the bottom half of the pitch as they look to play out.

Saints move into another rondo-esque drill with teams differentiated by white bibs and blue training wear. The temperature at this point is 32 degrees, although it will hit 39 later in the day.

“It’s so hot and you’ll only keep yourself cool by keeping the ball,” Martin said – almost certainly with a smirk on his face, although that could not be seen from our position.

He is deadly serious though. At the end of one round of the drill, the boss was not satisfied with the Blue team’s level of control and commitment. 

His tone changes as he delivers: “The only chaos we have is when you lose the ball. Blue team, you’re losing the ball and there’s no reaction. You’re making it easy." 

With Sport Republic’s scouts – invited to get everyone together in one place for a rare meeting (there was even tentative plans for Goztepe and Saints players to have lunch together, although that didn’t happen) – still watching on and club media seeking refuge in the limited shaded areas that exist, the drills continued.

Three teams. Two goals. One rectangle mini-pitch. A team on the outside of the pitch feeds balls back into play with a scorer-stays-on system in place, as Martin donned a yellow bib.

Club media have commented on how impressive the gaffer still is when he joins his players in sessions – only 37 years old and just four years retired.

Che Adams made light work of him though, sitting him down and powering in a finish. New signing Ryan Manning had his teammates gasping with a thunderous left-footed strike shortly after.

The session concluded with detailed shape work lasting over 30 minutes – four defenders, on this occasion – ahead of the friendly with Goztepe. The indication was that what we were seeing would likely continue into the season, and photography was prohibited.

Ward-Prowse’s session did not conclude there, though. He took the opportunity to practice some free kicks. You see the peers in his direction from everyone present. When Ward-Prowse strikes a dead ball, people pay attention.

Players who took part in training:

Goalkeepers: Gavin Bazunu, Alex McCarthy, Jack Bycroft.

Defenders: Jan Bednarek, Lyanco, Tino Livramento, Kyle Walker-Peters, Ryan Manning, Jayden Meghoma, James Bree, Jack Stephens, Mohammed Salisu. 

Midfielders: James Ward-Prowse, Will Smallbone, Romeo Lavia, Moussa Djenepo, Kami Doyle, Shea Charles, Charly Alcaraz. 

Attackers: Che Adams, Joe Aribo, Adam Armstrong, Sam Amo-Ameyaw, Nathan Tella, Sekou Mara, Kamaldeen Sulemana.