Ho on the importance of the Spain Performance Camp

Martin Ho spoke of the importance of an intense training week over the course of our Spain performance camp.

Our Women’s first team squad arrived in southern Spain on Monday (13 August) afternoon to kick start an important week of preparation ahead of the 2025/26 Barclays Women’s Super League campaign.

Alongside the hard work on the training pitch, we’ll also kick off our pre-season programme on Friday (15 August) against Liga F side Sevilla at Jesus Navas Stadium – a game you will be able to watch live on SPURSPLAY.

Speaking to us after the Tuesday session – the second day of our performance camp – Martin, who joined as our new Head Coach from SK Brann, outlined the important elements of the camp and what he hopes to achieve.

“It brings you away from your normal surroundings and enables you to train a little bit differently,” he told us on SPURSPLAY.

“It’ll obviously increase the fatigue and the intensity of sessions, especially with the weather, but more importantly, it should help us become fitter, sharper, and give us a little bit more of an edge when we go back.

“We can just do a little bit more, probably on an individual basis, and you can do a bit more with the warm weather, having the players rotating a little more in certain positions and certain practices, so they get more individual focus.”

Reflecting on a positive week, Martin added: “Obviously the travelling day naturally takes a lot out of the players. But they have trained really well in the following days, looking sharp and good. Hopefully that can continue throughout this week.”

Watch | Mic'd up with Martin Ho

While the main focus will be on the pitch this week, he was also keen to highlight the use of the time to create closer relationships within the squad and staff.

“It enables you to bring the group a lot closer together, to understand one another more and collaborate more. It’s also important for us to integrate the younger players from the Academy.

“We have some of them with us now, so it’s a good opportunity for them to show themselves, but also to understand what’s expected, the demands, and to get a feel for the environment.”

Having completed a return to WSL in June, previously at Everton and Manchester United prior to SK Brann, the 35-year-old is already into his fourth week of pre-season with the squad and has been pleased with the work he has seen so far.

“It has been good,” he said. “The first week is always about understanding the players and where the group is in certain areas, then putting a clear plan in place for how we need to move forward.

“And that’s alongside implementing the clear values and beliefs of what we want to stand for as a team — the identity — and then implementing a clear style of play to work towards.

“We’re doing that really well. I’m seeing players show me what they’re capable of and, more importantly, showing me they can put into practice the stuff we’re working on and trying to build towards. If they do that, they put themselves in a good position. I’m really pleased with the work we’ve been doing.”