Intense Work & New Ideas – JJ & Choudhury On Austria So Far

Getting to grips with our new Manager’s methods and buying into his ideas has been at the forefront of the players’ minds this week, say James Justin and Hamza Choudhury, who have taken time out of their schedule to offer a pre-season update.

2025-07-18T15:00+01:00

by Sam Stevens

Published

18 Jul, 2025

Intense Work & New Ideas – JJ & Choudhury On Austria So Far

Getting to grips with our new Manager’s methods and buying into his ideas has been at the forefront of the players’ minds this week, say James Justin and Hamza Choudhury, who have taken time out of their schedule to offer a pre-season update.

Sam Stevens

2025-07-18T15:00+01:00

Intense Work & New Ideas – JJ & Choudhury On Austria So Far

Getting to grips with our new Manager’s methods and buying into his ideas has been at the forefront of the players’ minds this week, say James Justin and Hamza Choudhury, who have taken time out of their schedule to offer a pre-season update.

Sam Stevens

2025-07-18T15:00+01:00

Intense Work & New Ideas – JJ & Choudhury On Austria So Far

Getting to grips with our new Manager’s methods and buying into his ideas has been at the forefront of the players’ minds this week, say James Justin and Hamza Choudhury, who have taken time out of their schedule to offer a pre-season update.

Sam Stevens

2025-07-18T15:00+01:00

Intense Work & New Ideas – JJ & Choudhury On Austria So Far

Getting to grips with our new Manager’s methods and buying into his ideas has been at the forefront of the players’ minds this week, say James Justin and Hamza Choudhury, who have taken time out of their schedule to offer a pre-season update.

Sam Stevens

2025-07-18T15:00+01:00

The Foxes duo are among the squad who travelled to Austria earlier this week, as Martí Cifuentes begins life as the new Leicester City Manager. After an intense first fortnight back in Seagrave, a fitness foundation is in place, which will allow Cifuentes and the wider backroom team to implement his football philosophy on the group.

The pre-season work continues on Saturday with a friendly against Hungarian outfit Zalaegerszegi TE FC (5:30pm BST kick-off) – the third test of the summer, but the first under Cifuentes’ watchful eye. That game will be broadcast live, and for free, on our YouTube channel, as well as on Foxes Hub from 15 minutes before KO.

Reviewing their efforts so far, in between double training sessions this week, JJ and Hamza sat down to speak about these formative days under the new leadership and to elaborate on the benefits which a prolonged time together as a group will bring.

“It’s been good getting to grips with the new Manager and his ideas and style of play,” Justin said. “Being together with all the lads, it’s been good fun so far. Hopefully we can keep building on that bond to push us through in the season.”

For Hamza, it’s the perfect fusion of hard work and enjoyment: “It’s always interesting in the first few days when a new Manager comes in. Especially coming out to Austria, but we’re getting used to his philosophies, his ideas.

“Training’s been intense, it always is when a new Manager comes in. The lads are enjoying it, they’re working really hard.”

Justin, on the other hand, is revelling in the fresh start affording by Cifuentes’ appointment, with a big campaign ahead in the Sky Bet Championship.

“I feel like he’s brought that spark, that bit of energy,” the one-time capped England international added. “He and Xavi [Calm], his assistant, have just brought us a new lease of life. Since they’ve come in, everyone’s been on it, been sharp, and training’s been really good.”

Naturally, there will be new tactical concepts for the squad to digest, but Hamza is confident the lads will get to grips with it quickly and be able to adjust in time for 25/26.

“We’ve got really smart lads in our team,” the Bangladesh midfielder explained. “Over the last two or three years, we’ve played different styles of football, and before that the lads have had big careers playing different ways.

Taking stock on the camp in Austria so far.

“The lads are smart and we can adjust quite quickly to different styles of play. He’s got really good ideas and he’s really direct with the way he wants his team to play. It’s understanding those little roles you’ve got to play within that, but the lads are adjusting really well.”

Downtime is important, too, on these trips, giving the players chance to recover from the day’s exertions, but also build bonds which will see them through the season’s tougher moments. Pool and table-football stations have proven popular after meal times, while Mario Kart proves competitive – “I’ve been cleaning up!” jokes JJ.

Hamza said: “I think it’s essential for team bonding to get away from your normal surroundings because our team are quite close I’d say.

“There’s a lot of friendships and everyone gets on, so it’s nice for us to spend downtime together and just have a laugh. It’s so important when you’re going into such a big season.”

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