GAVIN Mahon is relaxed after his summer break and is already looking forward to August 11 as the opening fixture takes him back to where he started his career and gives him an opportunity to get one up on his family.

The club captain has been having some good-natured family banter ahead of the game against Wolves, but more importantly for the Hornets, he wants to get the wheels in motion nice and early so Watford can set their stall out and show the Championship their intentions from 5.20pm on August 11.

He said: "Two of my uncles are season ticket holders and big fans of Wolves so they've been giving me a bit of stick over the summer. Wolves surprised a lot of people last season, they've got a good side there now and Mick McCarthy has done well."

The hard work has long since started at London Colney as the players have been put through their paces by Aidy Boothroyd and his staff. Mahon returned slightly late to training due to a family wedding but the 30-year-old is looking fit and healthy after his summer break.

"The time off was good for me, I had a little one just before the season finished so I spent a lot of time with him and the family. I've been relaxing and getting prepared for what is a big season for us.

"The fitness schedules prepared for us worked very well for me, I've come back fit - the tests have showed that our fitness is good. With the modern game now you can't go out and not do anything for a number of weeks, but thankfully we've got a squad of players who have come back fit."

Pre-season training is vastly different to when Mahon started his career with opening day opposition and he believes the influence of foreign coaches in the games has had a huge impact on training methods.
 
"Back in the day on the first day of pre-season you'd do 5000 metres and then you'd do all the bleep tests and the sprints. But I think that someone like Arsene Wenger has had a big effect and it's really since he has come to this country with his training methods.

"Football is a high intensity game, it's stop-start. You can run round pitches for hours on end and then get players to play four or five-a-side but they find it difficult, not because they can't do it but because they're not used to that sort of running.

"Aidy is very much in the Wenger and Mourinho style where the balls are out on the first day, we're doing a lot of short games which are high intensity."

The Championship is a division that Mahon knows well having of course led the Hornets to play-off glory in 2006 and the Birmingham-born midfielder likes the intense pace of the league.

"You know what the Championship is like where you play on a Saturday and it's 100 miles per hour and that's how we train so it's good. There is less times to prepare for games, but as a footballer that's good really - if we do put in a bad performance or don't have a good game as an individual there is every chance to put it right two or three days later.

"Obviously we've got up from the Championship before, we were winning regularly and getting good little runs going and that's going to be the key for this season. When you're winning you don't mind training every day and having a hard schedule, you just get through it so that's why a good start is important for us.

"We had a great team spirit the year we were promoted. The start is always important because if you get off to a good one you've got that momentum to take you up to Christmas where the games come thick and fast. We've showed that we can match any side in this division, it's always hard in the Championship. There are always a few teams who have invested a bit - but we've brought in some good quality players so far and we know that on our day we can give anyone a game so it's all about being consistent and scoring goals."

The gaffer has already strengthened his squad this summer and that is only good from Mahon's point of view. "I've played against the new lads many times and the signings that the gaffer has made will be key for us. McAnuff is an attacking player who is exciting and we've got a lot of people fighting for places which is what everyone wants. We've got Smith, Bouazza and McNamee as wide players as well and they can all put balls in the box and can provide some quality.

"Of course we've got a goal poacher and a great all round player in Marlon King who is key to us, it was a big loss not having him last year - he's hungry and he wants to get back there [The Premier League] because he missed a large chunk of last season.

"I too am itching to get back to the Premiership - there's nothing better than going out in a full stadium and playing at the best grounds in the world. We've had a taste of it now so we're very hungry to get back there."

The skipper has been with the 'Orns since March 2002 after joining from Brentford and he still loves running out in front of the crowd at Vicarage Road. He added: "There's no better feeling than playing at home with lots of fans there. Soon the facilities will be up there with the best of them, the finance is available at the moment, so it's the right time to develop the club and take things to the next level."

As the captain talked at London Colney, two of the younger members of the squad in Alex Campana and Jordan Parkes were playing table-tennis during their break. As captain and one of the more experienced professionals at Vicarage Road, Mahon has the added responsibility to guide the young Hornets at the club. 

"I think that's one of the main attributes of Aidy, he will bring the youngsters through. If their doing well in the reserves and the youth team games he will bring them up to the first team and say to them that if they do it consistently they could get a run in the first team.

"That is key to this club to be bringing these players through as we have done over the years. Players have gone on to be sold for money like Ashley Young. There's no better club to be at where you will get a chance. I didn't get it, I was at Wolves and I didn't really get a chance. I always say that when I speak to the younger lads. I tell them to work hard, players who work hard and have the hunger can become part of the setup here."

There's no doubting Mahon and co will have the hunger on August 11 and they won't be satisfied until the job is finished, hopefully long before next May.

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