GRAHAM Alexander has had enough of playing catch-up at Valley Parade.

That’s why the City boss wants an intense pre-season to ensure they hit the ground running.

Alexander has six weeks to sharpen the squad for their League Two curtain-raiser away to his previous club MK Dons.

The Bantams won just three of their first 11 games last season – a sluggish start that cost Mark Hughes his job.

They spent the rest of the season effectively chasing the leading pack before falling a point short of the play-offs.

Alexander admitted constantly trying to claw back the deficit put extra pressure on his side.

He said: “We found when we had really excellent periods of results, like five or six wins on the bounce, it still only took us to the edge of things.

“It didn’t get us right in there or cement us in there. We were still on the edge and only in touching distance after phenomenal runs.

“That’s why the pre-season is so important because you want to get off to a good start, so when you put those winning runs together you’re in the frame.

“Teams have shown over the years you don’t have to have a strong start. It is a marathon and you have to get enough points over 40-odd games.

“But I’ve been there before and it’s always much healthier to get off to a positive start, especially if you’ve got new players.”

City begin pre-season for real tomorrow after coming back in for a day of testing. Having finished last term on a high, Alexander wants to build the momentum to try to carry on where they left off.

“It feels like a new start. It’s our first pre-season.

“A positive start can help build momentum, without a shadow of doubt.

“You’re not winning anything after 10 games. You still have to be consistent and try to improve and keep your foot to the floor.

City sacked Mark Hughes after three wins in the first 11 games last yearCity sacked Mark Hughes after three wins in the first 11 games last year (Image: Thomas Gadd)

“One step at a time and we’ll just try and focus on that first game when we get to the last two weeks of pre-season. We’ve got a lot of work to go before then.”

The announcement that City will kick off on the road against one of the promotion favourites has given the players a target to aim towards.

But Alexander wants to the park the first game and concentrate on the hard work planned for the coming weeks.

“The fixture list will be a few days old when the boys come in on Monday.

“They’ll have seen it, digested it and then be cracking on with thinking, ‘what’s pre-season going to bring?’

“They’ll be focused on that and then when we get to, say, 10 days away leading into the last pre-season friendly that’s when it really comes on to the horizon and sharpens players’ minds for the challenge.”