EDDIE Howe admitted he relished beginning pre-season with Cherries and said: “We are excited by what the team can be.”

The Cherries boss was speaking as his squad members who had not been not on international duty this week returned following their summer break.

Howe told the afcbTV: “We are excited by what the team can be this season. We have a lot of work to do on all phases – recruitment and on the training ground but it’s exciting times ahead.

“I love pre-season because it’s where you work as a coach. You are on the training pitch and you’re not defined by the results you get.

“You are building towards the first game, so it’s an exciting process.”

He added: “We have a squad of players. There are not many of them, we have a lot of internationals who are still away but we are very pleased to be here and start work.

“We did our fitness testing on Saturday and the results were encouraging. The players now know they have to be professional all year, not just during the season.

“There is limited chance for them to get too out of shape. They know that, if they are, they are going to suffer for it during this period in pre-season.”

Cherries are set to begin their fifth Premier League campaign when they host Sheffield United on Saturday, August 10.