IT IS safe to assume there are members of Hull City's 22-man squad who are struggling to appreciate life on the Algarve.
Intense training sessions early in the morning and late in the evening have been designed to sharpen fitness levels quickly ahead of the club's Europa League bow in a fortnight and take no prisoners in stifling temperatures.
If there is one individual smiling wide, though, it is Joe Dudgeon.
Not even two stitches on his top lip, the result of an accidental elbow from Ahmed Elmohamady on Monday, can bring his mood down.
After two years of "floating around" the periphery of Steve Bruce's squad nursing a knee injury that has cruelly placed his career on hold, Dudgeon is right back in the mix here in Portugal.
The 23-year-old chooses his words carefully, avoiding grand statements of reaching full fitness, but there is no shortage of optimism that this can be his comeback campaign.
"Everything is going well. I've not had a problem since I've been out here," Dudgeon told the Mail.
"I've got to still manage it.
"Although it's been going really well I can't get carried away and keep training. There's no point.
"I've been doing two days on and a day off so I'm just sticking to a routine and getting the knee used to the demands it needs. I've got to be mature about it and make sure I do everything right."
Dudgeon has suffered too much to take undue chances now.
Since a chondral defect was discovered in his right knee in October 2012, he has only been able to make two appearances for City.
Surgery ruled him out of the Tigers' promotion campaign early before further problems were encountered when he returned to feature in last season's Capital One Cup ties against Leyton Orient and Huddersfield.
No sooner would he play, swelling in the knee joint would follow.
The road to recovery has been unbearably long.
"The hardest bit has been the mental side of it," he said.
"Seeing the lads train and play while you keep having set-back after set-back. That's tough.
"I felt fine last season, that was the annoying thing.
"But the demands of the games must have been a bit too much for it.
"Recovery was getting harder with each session.
"We knew it wasn't really bad news because I was able to train without pain. It was probably a good job we did.
"We scanned it to just check on it and it hadn't healed quite like we'd originally hoped.
"It just needed rest and going from that it took me a while to get back to full fitness.
"There was little niggles with my hamstring playing up constantly.
"It was a struggle but hopefully that's the end of it."
Unlike a muscle tear or broken bone, the nature of Dudgeon's defect has made his recovery an arduous and uncertain one.
The dark days have been plentiful in recent times so was retirement ever given consideration?
"No, far from that," he said, without pause for thought.
"Even if it was far worse I still wouldn't.
"There's no need to, it hasn't even crossed my mind.
"Whatever I can get out of my legs and my knee I'll push it to the max. I'll go for as long as I can.
"I've gone through 18 months of struggles so I'd be daft to chuck all that away."
Steve Bruce clearly shared those sentiments when sanctioning a new 12-month deal this month.
Bruce only talks in glowing terms of Dudgeon and his dedication and had no wish to see the left-back that started the opening 11 games of his reign depart.
And for that Dudgeon is forever grateful.
He added: "The new contract gives me a chance to go and prove myself.
"I feel personally that I've got a lot to prove to everyone.
"I've felt as though I've just floated around for the last two seasons and haven't given much.
"I feel like I owe a lot to the staff, the lads and the fans.
"I want to give something back for what they've given me.
"They didn't need to give me another 12 months at all.
"The gaffer has gone in and asked for them (the owners) to give me a chance and I have to repay that. He's been brilliant."
Dudgeon is pragmatic to know he may yet require further patience.
City have moved on considerably since he was once a promising regular and opportunities may be limited in a side ready for its second Premier League season.
A fight on four fronts, beginning with the Europa League at the end of this month, will increase his chances of first-team football but he accepts a loan move to the Championship could also be a means to an end.
First will come a game at either North Ferriby United or Harrogate Town on Monday night and another step back towards the same target he has held for over 18 months.
"Games are the most important thing," said Dudgeon, who will return to England with his City team-mates tomorrow.
"Everyone knows I can train quite comfortably now and cope with everything that comes with it. I need games now.
"Whether that's here or out on loan to prove I can play 90 minutes every week, it's something I'll have to decide when it comes around.
"For now my job is just to take part in as much of pre-season as I can and show everyone I'm fit. I'm ready for Monday.
"There's plenty of friendlies next week and minutes to be played so it'll be good to get out there and play with the lads again."
