It's been another long, hard day in the Italian sun for the Tigers at their pre-season training camp in Bormio but that's still not preventing Sam Ricketts from enjoying the experience.

Having sampled the club's previous visit to the town at the foot of the Italian Alps last summer, the Welsh international defender knew exactly what to expect from this week and believes it's all essential work as the Tigers prepare for life in the Premier League.

"I'm enjoying it as much as you possibly can," Ricketts told www.hullcityafc.net.

"Obviously it's hard work with it being pre-season. We're doing three or four sessions a day and it's quite tiring on your body but it's something that needs to be done to set us up for the season ahead.

"We're pretty much following the same sort of schedule we had last summer when we came here and hopefully it will have the same effect on this season as it did last year.

"Staying up in the Premier League will be just as bigger task, if not bigger, as going up last season was and it's important we prepare in the right manner for it."