CHRIS THORMAN says preparation and athleticism will be key for his York City Knights side in 2012.

The new player-boss said ten months ago, while assistant-coach, that the young York team needed to focus every week to make ground in the Championship following their shock promotion through the play-offs.

Now, a week before his squad convene for pre-season training, he has reiterated such professionalism on and off the field is vital, and he also says his team need to improve their athletic ability to match the better sides at this level following the club’s somewhat precarious consolidation in domestic rugby league’s second tier.

When asked if he had yet set targets for his first season as a head coach, the former Sheffield, Parramatta, Huddersfield and Hull half-back said: “We will get together as a squad and we will set goals – short-term, medium-term and long-term – as a squad.

“Primarily we need to get in the gym and get more athletic. We need to be athletes – I want a team of athletes. We’ve formed (fitness) programmes and the players are going to stick to them, and then closer to the season we will start making goals.

“We’re definitely looking to improve next year.

“The squad will be smaller but we’ve got some real quality.

“Whether or not the fact we won’t have a reserve side will affect us we’ll have to see – that won’t be answered until the end of next season.”

Thorman also said working well with executive chairman John Guildford and general manager Ian Wilson, as well as all the staff, was vital, to build a strong team off the field.

He added: “The main thing is having a good working relationship with Ian, John, Mick Ramsden (assistant-coach), the playing staff and the office staff. It’s also important to be well-prepared. Preparation is key.”

Thorman, who spoke individually to the players after replacing Dave Woods in the head coach role, added: “I’m making no predictions other than to say there’s a lot of hard work to be done. The players are aware of that.”

Thorman is the third player-coach in the Knights’ nine-year history, after Paul Broadbent in the inaugural 2003 season and Paul March for seasons 2008/9.

His appointment also signalled a return to the club’s policy of putting faith in up-and-coming, if unproven, candidates, in that he became the sixth Knights boss to have had no previous experience as a head coach at a professional club – the others being Broadbent, Richard Agar, Mick Cook, March and James Ratcliffe. Indeed, of all the Knights’ bosses, only the departing Dave Woods had held a top job before.

Asked if he was ready for the role, Thorman said: “I would not have accepted it if I did not think I was ready for it.

“I’d already had a lot of input regarding training sessions (as assistant-coach). Team selection will be on my head but even when Dave was here, and going back to James Ratcliffe’s time as head coach, it was a collective decision and everybody had their input. I’m going to be more accountable but I’m more than comfortable with that.”

Launch night date

York City Knights’ 2012 season launch night will be held on Thursday, November 24, at Bar 13, Huntington Stadium.

The new home and away replica shirts – the home shirt being a throwback to the original 2003 shirt to mark the club’s tenth year in existence – will be available for collection, for those who have already ordered one, or purchase.

All the new merchandise will also be on sale, and fans can also collect or buy their season tickets for 2012.

The squad will be training that evening after which there will be an opportunity to meet the players at the event. Doors open at 3pm that afternoon.