Former Leeds United midfielder David Prutton believes that the Peacocks pre-season camp in Australia is unlikely to be of much help in preparing the players for the season to come.

Leeds have landed in Australia as they step up their preparations for the 2019/20 season. The Whites will play friendlies against English rivals Manchester United and Australian club Western Sydney Wanderers in the coming days.  

 



Whites head coach Marcelo Bielsa divided his squad into two halves, with one half going to Australia and the other half staying back to improve on fitness. The Argentine tactician named 16 players in the squad that headed Down Under.

However, Prutton, who plied his trade for the Whites for three years between 2007 and 2010, believes that club's tour to Australia is more a case of chasing good PR and earning money than preparation for the season.
 


"Leeds have now flown out to Australia for their pre-season tour and it’s PR and it’s money. I understand that", Prutton wrote in his Yorkshire Evening Post column.



"The furthest we went on a pre-season trip in my experience was Florida when we went to Miami when I was playing at Nottingham Forest.

"Firstly it was boiling, secondly it was the rainy season and thirdly it was miles away and Australia is also quite obviously miles away as well.
 

Error, group does not exist! Check your syntax! (ID: 76)


"You have got to get over the jet lag and you have got to acclimatise to not just heat but the close humidity.

"I don’t know if it’s akin to altitude training but I can’t remember it standing us in any better stead than going to Ireland or Austria or somewhere like that."

Bielsa has stayed in England instead of travelling with the squad in order to make sure that new signings and returning internationals are put through the same tough schedule as those who have headed to Australia have been.

However, he will join up with the rest of team in Australia on Tuesday ahead of their game against Manchester United.