Ryan Giles breaks the pre-season norm with Hull City friendly verdict

Ryan Giles says results do matter in pre-season, as Hull City prepare to take on Konyaspor, looking to get their summer campaign off to a flying start in Slovenia.

City return to action for the first time since that iconic Wembley victory back in late May, with the first of five friendlies before the big kick-off against Manchester United on August 22.

Twelve months ago, against a backdrop of uncertainty, Sergej Jakirovic's squad went unbeaten throughout their pre-season campaign, and it fashioned a slice of momentum that carried them through into the start of the new season.

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A year on, City are preparing for the Premier League, and any extra bit of help to prepare them for the toughest test of their lives would be most welcome, Giles tells Hull Live.

Competition for places will be fierce going into the top flight, and already, Giles has seen Matt Targett arrive, and he's determined to stake his claim for a starting berth while his fellow ex-Boro loanee looks to get up to speed.

"It will be brilliant," he says as he relaxes in the hotel bar after another day of training in Maribor and looking ahead to Saturday's contest. "It's always exciting to get that first game in the bank, so we'll give it a good go.

"Training's been really good, I think that all the boys have come back in good condition and mentally in a good place and really trying to put their stamp down.

"Competition for places, things like that, transfers coming in as well, so you've gotta try and make your mark and impress the gaffer, and these games are ultimately another opportunity to do that whilst also building your match fitness, so I'm really excited to get going."

Giles' honest attitude towards friendlies is refreshing, because he understands how important that winning mentality is, something Sergej Jakirovic worked tirelessly to create last summer.

"I personally feel like results matter regardless," Giles mused. "I know people will say it's pre-season blah blah blah and it is about building match fitness, etc, but I personally believe winning is the most important.

"There will have been teams, and I don't know off the top of my head (who they are), that probably will have had a poor pre-season and then gone on and got promoted or whatever and maybe won a League One season, but I believe that winning is the most important for me.

"I know it's about building match fitness and your sharpness and everything, but you wanna win the games, and you wanna carry on that winning mentality. It's inevitable we're gonna be under the cosh in the Premier League, and it's gonna be tough.

"If we can install that winning mentality in these pre-season games going into Man United, I think that puts you in good standing."

Hull Live are the only English media with City during every step of their pre-season tour, and you can follow all our updates in print and online.

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