ANDONI Iraola has highlighted the importance of next week’s trip to the USA for the club, both on a sporting and commercial side.
Cherries are heading Stateside for the first time since Eddie Howe’s squad visited Chicago and Minnesota in 2016.
Iraola will travel with the squad on Monday for a two-week pre-season training camp, which will include friendlies against Wrexham and Arsenal, as well as an open training session.
There is likely to be added interest around the Wrexham friendly due to the Hollywood investment on both sides of the fence. Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney own Wrexham, while fellow actor Michael B Jordan is involved at Cherries.
Cherries are heading to Los Angeles, California, using training facilities of MLS side LA Galaxy at Dignity Health Sports Park.
There will also be a visit to owner Bill Foley’s Hotel Californian in Santa Barbara.
Looking ahead to the trip, Iraola told afcbTV: “We will try to take benefit as much as we can.
“I’m sure the club is doing the right stuff. It is going to be very good for the club.
“I think we have to also be known not just here in England, so I understand very well the commercial side of the trip.
“Also from my department let’s say, the sporting side, we have to use it to prepare very well.
“We have two very good friendlies there to continue building. I think it’s going to be a good two weeks for us.
“The most important thing is the physical side.
“We know each other better this season. We can go more into detail, the tactical side.
“We can correct certain things. We can try also some new things.
“But the most important thing is that physically we arrive in the best condition we can for the first game (of the Premier League season).
“So to play these kind of games are always important.”
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Cherries have been back in pre-season training for the past week, since heading on their holidays following the loss at Chelsea on May 19.
Reflecting on the break, Iraola said: “You never rest fully, because you have to always be aware and you are in contact with the people in the club.
“But I think it was a good break. It has been quite long this year, because of the Euros.
“I obviously followed the Euros, so have not had football completely out of my mind. But obviously more in a relaxed way.
“After a long season, you are looking forward to a break, to rest a little bit.
"But after two or three weeks, you are already looking forward to starting again with excitement.
"At the end it’s work, but we really enjoy it also. You want to see how players come back, how you can improve things. Now is the moment for it.”
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