Essendon’s playing group has been excited by the energy and enthusiasm of senior coach Mark Thompson since returning to pre-season training in the last fortnight according to midfielder David Zaharakis.

Thompson was officially unveiled as the Bombers senior coach for the 2014 season on October 10 and has impressed the playing group since pre-season started in early November.

“On the track he has been very good, he has a crack when he needs to have a crack and he has been upbeat when the boys do the right thing,” Zaharakis said.

“With Bomber the one thing is you are never left wondering which is the great thing about him, he says what he has to say.”

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Zaharakis said he had noticed a reinvigorated Thompson since returning to prepare for the 2014 season.

“Over the last couple of years he has come to just a couple of training sessions every couple of weeks but since day one I have noticed he has been switched on,” Zaharakis said.

“He has been great for the playing group, in meetings he is engaged, at training he has been engaged and it has been awesome to see.”

One of Thompson’s former Geelong premiership players Paul Chapman is set to start his pre-season training with the Bombers this week.

Chapman is starting back later then his teammates due finish the 2013 season with Geelong at a later date.

Zaharakis said Chapman had visited the club on Friday morning to meet his new teammates before they jetted off to Boulder, Colorado for the club’s high altitude camp powered by Antler.

“Paul has been a great player for Geelong in a successful program just like Brendon (Goddard) was at St. Kilda and he has been a terrific influence on us over the last twelve months.”

“Hopefully he can come and have that sort of an influence on the group as well.”