THE notoriously tough gaffer's day at Burnley will give the players a 'mental edge' during the season, according to midfielder Jack Cork.

Sean Dyche put his men through the toughest day of pre-season in the baking heat of Fota Island, in Cork, on Wednesday. Gaffer's day has become a ritual during Dyche's time at Turf Moor - the one day in pre-season when the balls go away and the players are made to run.

Wednesday's session lasted nearly two and a half hours but while it was tough work in the Irish heat, Cork feels the unique session will have plenty of benefits in the long-term.

"I’ve never done a session like this at any other club," said Cork, who was going through his second gaffer's day.

"It’s different but it was really good last year, it helped me settle into the team.

Lancashire Telegraph:

"It’s good when you’re new and you’re getting in with the lads, because you can show you’re part of a team and it does help you get in together.

"It helped me last year and you know that nobody else is going to do as much as running in a day so it gives us a bit of a mental edge that we’re doing a lot.

"It’s in your head that you know you can do it, than when you’re head is telling you to stop you can keep pushing on."

After two days of training with the footballs in Cork, it was time for running on Wednesday morning, while the goalkeepers worked separately in their own punishing session with Billy Mercer.

The balls are out early in pre-season under Dyche but Cork admits gaffer's day is the one everyone dreads.

"That’s the one that everyone looks at and thinks it’s going to be the hardest one," the 29-year-old said.

"It’s a good feeling when you get it done because you know it’s going to be good for you, it’s going to be beneficial to everyone in the team and it brings everyone together as a group, everyone pushes as hard as they can and we get the most out of it. It’s good to get a bit of a togetherness.

"We don’t usually do too many running sessions like this, this is the only one where it’s all running and no footballs.

"A lot of it is just mental stuff more than the legs, trying to get your heads around that you can do it and getting other lads through it.

"It’s everyone pushing each other and that’s what you need during the season, everyone helping out together and on the same team, trying to push each other in the same direction."

Fitness wasn't a concern for Cork last season as he played every minute of every Premier League game - one of only five outfield players to do so in the league.

"I was really proud, I’ve never done that before in my career so I was chuffed with that," he said.

"It’s tough to do that through the season and I was pleased I had the opportunity to do that."