Dundee United boss Micky Mellon insists there has been no let up for his troops in the international break as they prepare to attack their post-split fixtures.
With Scotland in World Cup qualifying action, United have no game this weekend but do welcome Partick Thistle to Tannadice next Saturday for their Scottish Cup third-round tie.
After that, it’s a trip to face Hamilton on April 10 as the Tangerines begin their bottom-six campaign with a tough clash against Brian Rice’s relegation-threatened side.
The Terrors will call in at Rugby Park to take on Kilmarnock then welcome Ross County and Motherwell to Tannadice before finishing the season in Paisley against St Mirren.
Mellon says a weekend off will help them go into those matches with their best foot forward.
“We haven’t really taken our foot off the gas,” he said.
“We train to a set of principles and included within those are desire and mentality.
“Every day we train to those principles so training hasn’t been any different.
“We wouldn’t really take our foot off other than to give the boys a few days off to recharge the batteries and to get ready to attack the games after the international break.
“We are keep pushing the boys to improve and get better all the time.”
Split format a ‘bizarre’ concept for Terrors boss
Mellon, in his first job in Scottish football, admits he is a little dismayed at United’s run-in as they travel to Killie and Accies for the third time this season.
Unfamiliar with the split format from a career spent managing down south, the former Tranmere Rovers gaffer admits it’s a little bit unusual but something he has to accept.
Mellon added: “The thing that always surprises me is that we have to go somewhere three times and they have only come to us once.
“It will be the third time we will have had to go to Kilmarnock and Hamilton and they will only have had to come to Tannadice once.
“I am just getting to know the split but to go somewhere three times seems a bit bizarre.
“I accept it must be difficult to get a balance and to please every team.
“It is what it is but we just have to get on with it and to finish the season as strongly as we can and to keep moving this squad and team forward.”
He continued: “I can understand it because of the number of teams in the league and to keep things as competitive as you can.
“It is new to me but I can see why it has been put in place and it means there is plenty to play for longer into the season.
“I was speaking to my mate the other day and he said you will soon be coming into the bizarre area after the split where the team in seventh might end up with more points than the team in sixth and everybody in England will be asking how is that still possible?
“It will be a challenge explaining that one but I get it.
“It is what it is and I knew how it worked when I came up so we will just get on with it.”