Tenerife Diary: Day One

The pressure is on Kasia Kelly, City’s football administrator, to ensure everybody is present and correct with passport in hand. With a total of 47 players and staff representing the club on tour, it’s a big old operation.

Thankfully, after a couple of teething problems at the luggage check-in desk, all the important equipment is on board and the flight leaves on time.

Four hours later, City touch down at Tenerife South airport and make the 30-minute drive to the wonderful Villa Maria hotel, just a stone’s throw from the T3 Top Training resort.

There’s not much time to waste, so as soon as we’ve collected our room keys and dumped our baggage, it’s time to reconvene in the restaurant for a bite to eat before training.

After food, the quartet of Aden Flint, Marlon Pack, Jamie Paterson and Matty Taylor spy a window of opportunity to test out the pool table (Taylor wins) and then it’s off to the pitch.

As the media duo, myself and Adam Baker arrive early to set up. Today’s output consists of a Facebook Live interview with assistant head coach Dean Holden, video snippets from training and an extended chat with Bailey Wright on his first day back with his club team-mates.

Bailey discusses his all-action summer with the Australia national team, from facing Brazil in Melbourne to the Confederations Cup in Russia.

The City defender played in all three matches as the Socceroos drew 1-1 with Cameroon and Chile and were beaten 3-2 by eventual winners Germany.