Hughes ready for a rest

Fulham defender Aaron Hughes has welcomed the chance to recharge his batteries at the end of another hectic season.

Fulham defender aiming to return for pre-season feeling fresh

Fulham defender Aaron Hughes has welcomed the chance to recharge his batteries at the end of another hectic season. Martin Jol's men played 55 competitive matches in the 2011/12 season but still managed to secure a third top-half Premier League finish in four years. The 32-year-old, the former Northern Ireland captain, appeared in 33 of those fixtures and said: "After the short summer we had last year and competing in the Europa League in June, it's nice to have a bit longer off after an extended season "I think it's a well-earned break for everyone. It's a chance to give your body and mind a rest and take it easy for a while and switch off for a little bit. "Obviously we've still got to take care of ourselves but it's important to come back to pre-season in July feeling fresh. "The young players this season have done fantastically well. We've had Matthew Briggs, Kerim Frei and Alex Kacaniklic all come in and impress whenever they've been given an opportunity. "When they start to get more experience and play more games over the next few seasons they will establish themselves because they look really good. "There's a lot to look forward to next season and I, for one, am looking forward to coming back fresh in July ready to go again."