By Paul Brown

Paul Lambert was joined by his trusted lieutenants Ian Culverhouse and Gary Karsa as he took training on the first day of pre-season.

Culverhouse and Karsa penned claret and blue contracts this morning and immediately joined the action to orchestrate proceedings on the pitches alongside Lambert.

Click here for a picture gallery of the trio.

All three greeted the players on their arrival this morning before getting down to the hard graft of getting them prepared out on the fields of Bodymoor Heath.

Lambert has worked with new assistant manager Culverhouse and new head of football operations Karsa for six years.

And the 42-year-old admitted he was thrilled to be reunited with them.

He told AVTV: "We have worked together for several years - at Wycombe, Colchester and Norwich.

"We have some marvellous times, some really great times.

"They are two lads I trust and they are looking forward to working here.

"I just think our thinking is not too dissimilar. Ian does brilliantly on the coaching side and Gary has done brilliantly on the other side.

"They are two lads I really trust and respect. They will do great for this club, that's for sure."

Click here for a picture gallery of the trio.