SIMON Ferry has revealed how Swindon Town’s players are beating the boredom during the long breaks between training sessions out in Italy – Football Manager.

Town’s players are restricted to their rooms between lunch, at 12.45pm, and their evening training sessions, which start at 5.30pm, during their stay on the banks of Lake Garda, leaving plenty of downtime to fill.

And Ferry explained how a group of six Robins have taken to some serious gaming to while away the hours.

“The boys are addicted to Football Manager on the iPad, everyone’s got their manager heads on,” he said.

“We’re training in the morning and then we get up to our rooms, put our suits on and we’re managers for the afternoon.

“Me, Tommy (Miller), Cads (Paul Caddis), Navs (Alan Navarro), Gaz Roberts and Macca (Alan McCormack) are all on it. We’re all next to each other in the room telling each other how good a manager we are.”

According to Ferry, some players are significantly better in the make-believe manager’s hotseat than others.

“I’ve taken Gillingham from League Two to the Championship, that’s in the time we’ve been out here,” he said.

“Cads was St Johnstone manager and ended up with the Inter Milan job, so he’s doing alright I think.

“Macca got sacked at Sheffield United. I don’t think he’s got it in him to be honest, I think he’s a bit hot-headed with his players.”

In the evenings, the Swindon squad are allowed to make the five-minute taxi ride into Lazise, which boasts a sensational waterfront and an ice cream shop that has the touring party salivating just a little.

“At night we go down to Lake Garda, which is lovely, and the boys go for a wander and get an ice cream,” said Ferry.

“The Kinder and Snickers ice cream is the best I’ve ever tasted.”

But one Town player isn’t able to enjoy the local ambience, if Ferry is to be believed.

“There’s two wee Danish boys who are about nine and they keep winding Roons (Luke Rooney) up,” he said.

“They’re on their scooters and we see them every night. Roons is devastated.”