Fabian Huerzeler spoke about his "leaders" as he said Albion have the balance right going into the pre-season.

The head coach likes the mix of experience and youth ahead of the opening public friendly with Kashima Antlers on Wednesday (11am BST).

Lewis Dunk and Pascal Gross, two pillars of the club’s Premier League era, are unavailable but Huerzeler says he has leaders on the pitch.

He told The Argus: “They are really demanding from each other. They try to support each other.

“You see there is experience and good leaders on the pitch who have good communication.

“You see that also the young players, there's a clear hierarchy.

“That's very important in my philosophy, that we have the hierarchy, we have the leaders, we have the team players, and the players who are more the creative players. I think the balance is very good.

“And then it's about communication. For me, communication on the pitch is so important to help each other, so that the man who is behind communicates with the man in front.

“I think Billy (Gilmour) is a good example, James (Milner) is a good example, Adam Webster, Jason Steele, all the leaders, experienced players, they are great in these things.

“And communication beside the pitch is important as well. We try to communicate a lot.”

Huerzeler plans to give players to 45 minutes apiece in the first friendly – fitness-permitting.

He said: “We will have a look at our players who had some problems with their muscles, how they can adapt with the intensity in training.

“How they feel with their jet lag, how they adapt to the humidity here, it's all the things we have to talk to the medical team about, have a close communication with each other and then we'll decide.

“But the idea is to play two times 45 minutes and then on Sunday in the next game we might increase the duration or the amount of minutes for each player but we'll have a look.”