David Artell says he has enjoyed being able to concentrate on football again following the closure of the summer transfer window.

The Alex boss had to endure a turbulent couple of months with players moving on, Tommie Hoban and Shaun McDonald retiring and having the on-going situation with Tom Lowery’s contract.

Artell says that the opportunity to train more with a fully fit squad due to the International break has been most welcome.

He told the club’s official website: “It has been the first time for a very long time that we have been able to just concentrate on football. Last year because of the delay in the season kicking off and the incessant number of games and then this summer and into the new season, it has been a tough time.

“We had the two lads retiring for their own personal reasons and we had to accept that and find others to replace them and quickly. We have had players leave us and we have had to recruit a lot of players for us. Would I like that churn of players again? Probably not but it was something we had to do.

“Now we had a week or so to really concentrate on the football and that is a real irony to that when you are a football manager but I must say I have really enjoyed this last week and I hope the players have to.

“We have seen them responding in training. We have seen that we have signed some good players. They are all good players in their own individual ways and it is now our job to incorporate them into the team and into the squad and make us a cohesive football team going forward.”