DARREN BENTLEY reports from Austria. . .

IF Steve Cotterill ever decides to give up on football management, a career as a travel agent is assured!

A meticulous attention to detail means that absolutely nothing here in Obertraun is left to chance.

training may be regimented, but there will still be plenty of time for rest, recuperation and relaxation, not to mention a tour to the region's famous ice caves and some white-knuckle, white water rafting!

But perhaps Cotterill's coup-de-grace has been to convince a well-paid bunch of footballers that the beauty of being surrounded by lakes and mountains can rival the best beaches money can buy.

The Clarets boss, who first visited the beautiful Dachstein mountain range with Stoke City two years ago, revealed: "I have never come to a place that is so picturesque.

"I have been telling the lads they will see sights they have never seen in their lives, but when you talk about lakes and waterfalls and mountains they look back as if to say 'are you sure?'

"I remember someone saying the same to me once and thinking 'I'm not really interested'.

"But I heard my lads talking on the coach on the way down here and I'm not surprised they are impressed because Austria really is a beautiful country.

"Here in Obertraun the facilities are fantastic, the food is tremendous, the people couldn't be more polite and the accommodation we are in is first class.

"The training facilities alone are very good, so I am delighted with it."

Cotterill added: "We have a couple of things lined up for the lads.

"We're going to take them white water rafting and they are a little nervous about that. But when else are you going to get the chance to do it?

"Also, we can't football them to death all week. We need to have a couple of hours break and do things together and the river rafting and looking at the ice caves in the mountains will be unbelievable.

"These are things you might never do again and it offers a break from football the day after a game, when we probably wouldn't get a lot out of them anyhow."

Green-eyed Burnley fans can rest assured this training trip to Obertraun also has a serious side.

Cotterill's non-negotiable timetable includes 7am alarm calls for a dawn run, two gruelling training sessions a day, an alcohol ban and 11pm curfews for everyone - including the press!

However, decamping to this spectacular setting - wedged between tranquil Lake Hallstatt and a range of awesome 3,000ft cliffs - is already serving the purpose of instilling a team spirit Cotterill hopes will stand him in good stead when the going gets tough.

He said: "We have two weeks to go before the season starts, so we need to do a lot more physical work.

"But this is also a good team bonding exercise. I think when a new manager comes in it's always difficult anyhow, and I just think we could spend six weeks together at home - coming into training and then going home again - and still not know each other as well as having a week away together.

"This isn't purely about preparing for Sheffield United in less than two weeks. It's also for Christmas time when we may be up against it and we could have players out through injuries and suspension. That's when you need others to pull through."