THE NEW SAINTS boss Scott Ruscoe says his side will be as prepared as they can be ahead of today’s draw for the first qualifying round of the Champions League.

The games will be in three weeks’ time – a fortnight longer than normal – meaning Ruscoe and his backroom staff can do their research on their opponents, which have come from a wider pool than normal.

And he’s even hoping a personal visit can be arranged, although acknowledging that is in the hands of UEFA when the draw is made today.

“It’s all about the draw today and then we’ve got three weeks before we play the next game,” he said. “We’ve got longer to prepare and create more information on the team we’ll be playing than we ever had.

“Usually it’s only about a week and we can’t get out to see the opposition. But this time, if there’s a team still in season and they’re playing on a Saturday, then we might be able to get out and see them.

“If the logistics mean we can’t get out there, we’ll get as much footage as we can to prepare for them and go from there.”

This year’s European campaign will have the added security of an Europa League safety net for the first time, but Ruscoe insists it’s still about reaching the Champions League second round.

He added: “Winning that first round is where we want to be. After that, when you get a tougher draw then you’ve got to be a bit cautious.

“But for me, I want to get through that round even though we have the Europa League to fall back on this year. We’ll be at a high fitness level having worked for more than five weeks in preparation, we’ll know about the team and across the two legs we’ll be seeded.

“I’m not saying everything will be in our favour because it’ll be down to what we’re like on the day. But our target is winning that first round and be as positive as we can.

“We’re never going to go out and play like we do in the Welsh Premier League as we know we have to respect the opposition. There’s a mixture of both adventure and respect for the opposition, but we’ll do our homework to make sure we get through that first round.

“Everything we’ve done has been towards these Champions League games. We’ve focused so much on strength with a lot more gym work, and we’re expecting a lot tougher games in our friendlies.

“We’ve got four or five friendlies coming up which will be hard work and if players aren’t up to scratch, they will get injured and won’t be able to play in the Champions League.

“Our aim has been fitness and strength, but our ball retention and work, the players know that and it’s all about getting up to speed ready for the game against Rangers a week before the Champions League.”

XREF