BLACKBURN Rovers midfielder Garry Flitcroft today insisted he and his team-mates have never worked harder than they currently are doing in Germany.

Ewood chief Mark Hughes is determined his team hits the ground running from day one this season so he's devised a vigorous training regime to whip his players into shape.

Rovers are training twice a day, every day at their base in this idyllic part of Bavaria and though the schedule is a punishing one, Flitcroft believes all the hours of hard graft will stand the players in good stead once the serious action gets underway three weeks tomorrow.

"The training's demanding and this is probably the hardest we've ever had to work," said Flitcroft.

"Training is always intense under the gaffer and we've got the heart monitors on now, so everyone is working as hard as they possibly can.

"We're also doing two sessions a day, but we're managing to get a decent rest in between, which means you can really put it in when it counts so we'll be ready to go from the off."

Hughes felt the players were nowhere near fit enough when he replaced Graeme Souness in the Rovers hot-seat last September, and it took him weeks to get the squad up to the level he wanted.

This time, however, he's determined to make sure every one of his players is ready to play at the kind of high tempo he demands from the moment Rovers face West Ham on August 13.

"The gaffer has his own ideas (on how to prepare the players) and Eddie Niedzwiecki also works us very hard, but he mixes it up every day, which means it's enjoyable," said Flitcroft.

"The place where we're based is excellent, too.

"There's plenty going on around you, there's things to do, it's a nice setting and the facilities are different class, so the gaffer's obviously brought us to the best place he could have done."

Rovers will step up their pre-season preparations with a friendly against 1860 Munich in Landsberg tomorrow (kick off 3.30pm).

Munich are a Bundesliga Second Division side and they should provide a stiffer test than Morecambe, who Rovers drew 2-2 with in their first pre-season work-out last weekend.

"We've got some good games this year and, with the training we've done, we are gearing up for the better games," added Flitcroft.

"They're all going to be tough games from here on in, but you've just got to get through them and show your worth to the manager."

Vratty Gresko may get his first taste of competitive action tomorrow after recovering from cruciate ligament injury.

But Robbie Savage is unlikely to be risked as he's still not fully fit yet following a groin operation.