Hearts heading to Germany for pre-season training camp

Craig Levein wants to improve his squad's fitness for next season

Hearts’ pre-season programme will incorporate a training camp in Germany.

Craig Levein told the Evening News this week that he intends to work his squad hard this summer in order to enhance fitness levels for next season. Their schedule will include around a week in Germany, where the team will train and play two friendly matches.

Exact details of the trip are still to be finalised but Hearts will fly to the continent at the start of July to step up preparations ahead of their Betfred Cup campaign, which is due to begin on the weekend of July 14.

Hearts have spent time in Ireland, England and at St Andrews in recent pre-seasons. Although they went to Spain during the recent winter break, this will be the first time they have spent part of pre-season on mainland Europe since Jim Jefferies took his squad to Il Ciocco in Italy in 2011.

Levein, whose recruitment drive for next season is already well under way, will hope to have several new faces added to his squad in time for the trip. The manager is eager to ensure the team are equipped to hit the ground running next term after they struggled to find any momentum following a start to the current campaign which was disrupted by managerial change and playing several of their early-season games away from Tynecastle.