Daws on the Tour

Michael Dawson can't wait to visit new cities in our summer tour of the USA and Canada – but realises sightseeing is way down the menu!

We visit Seattle, Toronto and Chicago this July, taking on MLS teams Seattle Sounders, Toronto FC and Chicago Fire in pre-season friendlies as we prepare for the big kick-off in August.

Long serving defender Michael - at the club since 2005 - has experienced one tour of North America with the club in 2012 (he missed out in 2010 as he was with England at the World Cup) and knows it’s the ideal place for pre-season graft.

“We were there in 2010 and a couple of years ago when we played LA, obviously against Robbie Keane, Liverpool in Baltimore and New York Red Bulls and now we visit three different cities,” said Michael.

“We know Clint Dempsey is in Seattle, Jermain Defoe in Toronto and then we go to Chicago. We’ll go there and prepare, that’s what it’s all about, trying to get to a peak for the start of the season. Fitness is most important.

“America is an amazing country and amazing place and I've heard great things about Toronto but pre-season is pre-season and we’ll be doing two or three sessions a day and working hard.

“The most we’ll see is the hotel and the bedrooms, because we’ll be recovering from hard sessions.

“We need to ge the work in, get fit and have a good pre-season to be ready for the first game in the Premier League.

“The MLS teams will be ahead of us in terms of fitness and that’s something we have to deal with as well.

“I’m sure it will be a great tour.”