WHILE all eyes will be on Swindon this season, new head coach Phillip DeFreitas feels that it is important that the County Ground side don’t look too far ahead.

The former England seamer was unveiled as the club’s new chief at the end of January.

And as the new West of England Premier League Wiltshire Division season begins tomorrow - Swindon head to last year’s runners-up Marshfield - DeFreitas believes the players have taken on board everything he has tried to do this winter.

“They are pretty much the same side they were last year,” the ex-international paceman, nicknamed Daffy, said.

“All I have tried to do is try to alter their attitude a little, change the approach a bit and they have been great. They have had a good winter programme (and) we have had great numbers in training.

“We have also got out in the middle, the groundsman, Kevin Thompson, has done a great job, it hasn’t been that warm but we have had some good sessions out there.”

While Leicestershire-based DeFreitas is unlikely to be at matchdays, the 51-year-old will be with the team during the week as they look to improve on their previous game.

The team, this year, will see all-rounder Alex Kill take over from Andrew Staff as captain.

“Alex is a very positive guy,” DeFreitas said. “He was made captain for this season before I arrived.

“On matchdays, it is the captain who has total control anyway so we will meet up during the week to put together our plans.”

While, from the outside looking in, many will see his high-profile appointment as a statement of intent this year, DeFreitas is not getting carried away.

“I’m not going to be playing,” he said. “The team is pretty much as it was. You can only take one game at a time, there aren’t any targets.

“As a coach, you work with what you have got and you try to change attitudes and approaches, then you look at the younger players and you try to give them confidence. That is what we have tried to do and the guys have taken it all on board.’’