Peter Gilham’s Portugal Diary: Open training and Sunday swim | OneFootball

Following a rest day, Saturday saw a resumption of the training programme back at Portugal’s National HQ.

As has been the case throughout, the weather was unrelentingly hot and a challenge to go about regular business let alone pre-season training.

The training schedule was set for the afternoon on Saturday to coincide with a visit from around 60 Bees fans who had travelled over to Portugal for the Benfica match two days earlier.

Upon arriving they were ushered into the Portugal FA’s reception area which has a vast array of trophies won by Portuguese national teams.

Then they had to sit through a gruelling 40 minutes of a presentation I do for players, staff and fans alike entitled ‘A Special Club’ which talks of the club’s heritage and highlights the part fans have played throughout its history.

Those who survived that then had the opportunity to watch the lads train before meeting the players themselves to collect photos and autographs. Needless to say everyone, fans and players alike, enjoyed the interaction.

It was then time to return to our hotel which is some 20 minutes’ drive away.

That evening, instead of dinner at the hotel, the players were split into four groups, with dinner at four different restaurants, accompanied by members of the coaching staff. Once again a very personal way of getting to know each other which, and I may be wrong, is uniquely a Brentford thing.

Meanwhile the remaining staff had dinner together at the Palacio Estoril Hotel. Interesting to note that Ian Fleming, the creator of James Bond, stayed here regularly and indeed the 1969 movie On Her Majesty's Secret Service was filmed in the main at the hotel.

Sunday morning, and it was time for something which again highlights the togetherness that is prevalent at Brentford. Everyone, players and staff, met on the beach with swimming trunks and towels, at 7.15am, to take a communal dip in the Atlantic.

I’m not too sure what the locals thought was going on when approximately 50 odd (not literally) of us descended on to the beach. But as stated before it really sets you up for the day - not that I can think up a suitable equivalent upon returning to Osterley.

It was then back to the regular itinerary, with breakfast, then the transfer to the training ground.

Apart from the undoubted quality on display when I have the pleasure of watching training here in Portugal, that same quality is evident when the players aren’t on the pitch but entertaining themselves by using what is available to them here.

That is never more evident than when they are playing Teqball, a ball sport played on a curved table in a similar way to table tennis but with a football using your feet and head. It can be played as singles or doubles. The qualities they show when playing it are exceptional.

On Sunday evening we welcomed back Mark Flekken from his time with the Netherlands squad at the Euros.

On Monday, for the first time, we woke up to a very cloudy sky. Unbeknown to me there had been a violent thunderstorm overnight which I had blissfully slept through.

Following breakfast, we headed off on our regular journey to the training ground for the final training session as Tuesday is a matchday with an early kick-off against Estrela da Amadora.

It starts with pre-match at 7.30am before we set off in preparation for the 11am kick-off. Then as soon as we can we depart post-match for Beja Airport just short of a two-hour drive for our flight back to dear old Blighty to bring to a close a very successful pre-season training camp. Next stop Watford!

“Vamos, Abelhas!” or, as we return to the UK, “Come on you Bees!”.