Tony Capaldi will take extra care to avoid injuries while on tour in a bid to avoid a repeat of last year’s trip to the United States.

The defender, who had signed for Oxford United earlier last summer, picked up a hamstring injury while the squad were away which needed surgery.

It began a deeply frustrating first season with the U’s and the left back was unable to make his debut until the final game of the campaign.

Capaldi felt the amount of training and the number of games on synthetic surfaces on tour last season contributed to the problem.

Although the majority of sessions on this season’s trip are on grass, the Northern Ireland international will not be taking any chances.

“I’ll be a lot more sensible,” he said. “A lot of the training and the games out there was on the Astroturf, which isn’t an ideal surface for a lot of the lads who have had injuries in the past. “It’s a lot firmer, so when you’re pounding on it, if you’ve had acute injuries in your back or knees it can affect it. “The gaffer’s told us this summer if we’re feeling something, just to pull out and not try to go through the pain barrier. If I feel anything, I’ll pull out, but hopefully it will be OK.”

Capaldi, who turns 31 before the start of the season, is desperate to play much more of a role for United in the coming months.

With fellow left back Liam Davis likely to be out for several weeks with a groin injury, the former Cardiff City and Leeds United defender has a chance to establish himself.

He said: “I’m at a stage in my career now where I need to be playing as many games as possible. “It’s important I stay fit for the whole season and I get games under my belt to show what I can do. “I’d like to think if I’m doing well, then I’m capable of getting in the team. It’s up to me to play well and if I do that, I’m sure I’ll be playing somewhere in the team.”