Ollie Palmer does not know who his manager will be next season or who will be joining him for pre-season training – but the Leyton Orient frontman will be fitter than ever and raring to go.

He has dipped into his own pocket to hire himself a personal trainer over the summer and says he is determined to come back to Brisbane Road fitter than he has ever been, no matter how much it hurts.

On his first hour-long session with his new physical instructor, Palmer was physically sick and he is expecting more of the same as he embarks on his self-imposed programme.

He said: “The first one was tough and I threw up. The instructor told me it would happen and I said it wouldn’t. I wasn’t embarrassed though, because it is what I want. I want to get fitter and if this is what it takes it will be worth it.

“He hit me hard. It was good and I needed it. I’m going to carry on with it, three times a week for six weeks and then I plan to continue with it during the season.

“I want to be in fantastic shape next season. I’m paying for this out of my own pocket because I want to improve. I want to have a fantastic season next season.

"I want to score more goals, I want to dominate and lead the line. I want to be quicker out of the blocks. I want that explosive power and that leg strength.”

Palmer’s enthusiasm and hunger for next season is a welcome ray of sunshine at a time when a cloud of uncertainty still hovers over the managerless club.

Seven players, Jobi McAnuff, Lloyd James, Blair Turgott, Frazer Shaw, Connor Essam, Bradley Pritchard and Gary Woods were all released at the end of the season as the owners reacted to the club’s failure to reach the play-offs.

Skipper Mathieu Baudry joined them at the exit door after turning down the offer of a new contract.

The O’s had three different managers last season with Ian Hendon, Kevin Nolan and then interim-boss Andy Hessenthaler having spells in charge.

The club’s owners have started interviewing candidates for the managerial vacancy but there is no word yet on when an announcement will be made or if Hessenthaler is among the names in the frame.

Palmer said: “We don’t know who is coming in. You hear little rumours but we don’t know anything more than anybody else. We will just have to wait and see.

“If it was Andy Hessenthaler I know he would do a fantastic job. He would be fantastic in my eyes.”

But Palmer is not going to allow the off-field speculation get in the way of his fitness mission just like he hasn’t been affected by the departure of eight of his team-mates.

He said: “In football you learn that you cannot cling on to things. Things change very quickly. I don’t know who the manager is going to be, I don’t know which new players could be coming through the door and who I could be playing with next season, I’m just excited about next season.”

Palmer finished the previous campaign on fire, scoring match winning goals in the O’s final two matches, including one against his former club Mansfield in a match where he was virtually impossible to defend against, to take his tally up to nine for the season.

But with his personal trainer by his side, Palmer is looking for more than that this term.

He said: “I want to get 15 or 20 goals next season. I want to be like I was in that Mansfield game every single week. I want to be smashing it every game.”