Thursday 11 June 2015 17:21, UK
St Johnstone midfielder Murray Davidson believes the Perth men must treat next season more like a marathon than a sprint.
Saints' fourth-place finish in the Scottish Premiership has booked them a slot in the Europa League first qualifying round.
Tommy Wright's side are seeded and will discover which of the 51 unseeded teams they will face when the draw is made at UEFA's Nyon HQ on June 22.
But if they manage to battle through to the third qualifying round, they will have played five games by the time their league fixtures even get under way.
Aberdeen boss Derek McInnes admitted his side suffered last year after kicking off their season with a gruelling Europa League schedule.
And Davidson, who will return to pre-season training next week, has warned the McDiarmid Park men they will have to take measures to ensure they do not burn out too.
Speaking at the launch of St Johnstone's new kit sponsorship deal with Perth and Kinross Council's Invest in Perth scheme, the 27-year-old said: "There are positives and negatives to being back in so early. Because it's such a short break, you don't lose much fitness.
"And I think it will be great preparation for us ahead of the league campaign because by the time those games come around we'll have played at least two - hopefully more - competitive matches.
"But the coaching staff have already spoken about the fact it is going to be a very long season.
"We don't have the biggest squad as things stand although I'm sure there will be other bodies coming in, so we will have to find a way to manage things as we can't go flat out for 10 months.
"We will need to take the odd break here and there, while training might get altered a little bit. But we can only go with what we have got in these first few games.
"Everybody will be 100 per cent ready to go and when it comes to dealing with fatigue later in the season, we will cross that bridge when it comes to it."