Facility fit for the Premier League

[davieG]

Merc

Leicester City have training facilities on a par with the Premier League – now they just have to get there, said football director Andrew Neville.

The Mercury was given a tour of City's new redeveloped training ground at Belvoir Drive yesterday, courtesy of club ambassador and Mercury columnist Alan Birchenall.

• ​Alan Birchenall hosted a tour around City's new training ground

While the club will not divulge how much the extensive upgrade has cost the club's owners, although it is believed to be significant, Neville said the facilities are now of a Premier League standard, except for the division's elite clubs.

Outside, the club is building a state of the art synthetic pitch, as well as upgrading the existing pitches, and the pitch in the indoor dome has also been re-laid.

But it is inside the training ground where the majority of the work has been done. Every room has been enhanced, while new video analysis, meeting rooms and a players' lounge have been built.

For the academy, classrooms and a lounge for the parents have also been developed, while the restaurant, changing rooms, medical facilities and even manager Sven-Goran Eriksson's office have been modernised.

Neville said the redevelopment was an indication of the club's ambition to rejoin the elite of English football.

"The investment is the same as at the King Power Stadium, with its giant screens and megastore, and the improvements to the first team squad. It is testament to their long-term ambition for the club," he said. "It puts us on a Premier League level and now we have to get to the Premier League.

"There are no excuses now for the players because every support facility they need is provided. That is how it should be. We are not looking for excuses, we just want to raise our standards. We think we have done that here and we want to sustain them."

Neville said City's facilities were being left behind by the rising standard of their rivals, and the whole place was in need of an overhaul.

"I think over the last few years, and you can go back many years, a training ground was a few dressing rooms, showers and a couple of pitches, if not just one," he said.

"Ten years ago this facility was about as good as there was but, over that time, clubs have invested significantly in training grounds, in playing surfaces and support services, such as the fitness and sports science side, laundry, kit, offices and so on.

"We felt left behind a little bit over the last few years. We have certainly felt the facility had become a bit tired so we put a proposal to the owners to improve the facility and they have bought into it.

"They have invested significantly here in terms of the pitches, the artificial pitch, the offices and medical facilities here, and all the fitness facilities.

"This is a massive improvement and we feel we are up to a level now where, while we are probably not on the same level as the top Premier League clubs, we are at a Premier League level we want to be at and maintain.

"There is more we can do and there are other things we could invest in terms of long term, like hydrotherapy facilities, but I think we are at a decent standard and we need to maintain it."

The work has temporarily ended speculation that City were looking to leave Belvoir Drive for a green field site, but Neville said he could not rule out a future move.

"I don't think we can look too far into the future," he said. "Here we are, close to the stadium and the city, but some clubs have looked at greenfield sites where they can have more pitches. That becomes a major investment then. In the short to medium term, what we have done is make a massive change."

Neville said the availability of the newly-improved facilities may have contributed to City's upturn in performance in recent weeks, and said it would help attract new players.

"It is significant, but it may be a coincidence, that since we moved back into here the players have shown an improvement," he said.

"Before it reopened, we had a marquee for the players to eat in, portable buildings for them to change in and it was getting difficult once the season had started. Now they have their pre-match meals before home games and everything is moving in the right direction

"It has helped in enticing potential new players, particularly at the academy end.

"I think there is no doubt that, having these facilities, at the ground as well, is a massive attraction."

Academy manager Jon Rudkin said the facilities would certainly help the community and youth work they undertook, and demonstrated the owners' long term vision.

"The investment has been magnificent since they arrived at the football club," he said. "They have a real vision for the long term and this is part of it.

"For us as a football club and academy, we thank them greatly, and also as a city. What we are seeing at a senior level with the investment is very exciting for everyone.

"The whole place has had a major revamp and it will be beneficial right across the club.

"It is terrific when young players see not only the facilities but the standard of delivery and after-care provided by the football club. It is an environment that you would want you children involved in."

[HEGGSY]

King Power

[Onion]

are there any more pics? official website link has broken..

[Rustyfox]

if your on twitter, follow Merc journalists Jason Bourne & Stringer. they had quite a few pics on there yday

[jamesmilner]

[Phil Gee's Mullet]

King Power

For King Power...

[Ashley]

We've always had facilities 'fit' for the Premier League have we not?

[Rhysm]

Good to see martin allens flower bed still there!

[The Sven Revolution]

Nice office Mr. Eriksson! And Faz has a little desk of his own..but the way the office is designed its like everyone's gotta know who the Boss is! haha

[Thracian]

Merc

Leicester City have training facilities on a par with the Premier League – now they just have to get there, said football director Andrew Neville.

The Mercury was given a tour of City's new redeveloped training ground at Belvoir Drive yesterday, courtesy of club ambassador and Mercury columnist Alan Birchenall.

• ​Alan Birchenall hosted a tour around City's new training ground

While the club will not divulge how much the extensive upgrade has cost the club's owners, although it is believed to be significant, Neville said the facilities are now of a Premier League standard, except for the division's elite clubs.

Outside, the club is building a state of the art synthetic pitch, as well as upgrading the existing pitches, and the pitch in the indoor dome has also been re-laid.

But it is inside the training ground where the majority of the work has been done. Every room has been enhanced, while new video analysis, meeting rooms and a players' lounge have been built.

For the academy, classrooms and a lounge for the parents have also been developed, while the restaurant, changing rooms, medical facilities and even manager Sven-Goran Eriksson's office have been modernised.

Neville said the redevelopment was an indication of the club's ambition to rejoin the elite of English football.

"The investment is the same as at the King Power Stadium, with its giant screens and megastore, and the improvements to the first team squad. It is testament to their long-term ambition for the club," he said. "It puts us on a Premier League level and now we have to get to the Premier League.

"There are no excuses now for the players because every support facility they need is provided. That is how it should be. We are not looking for excuses, we just want to raise our standards. We think we have done that here and we want to sustain them."

Neville said City's facilities were being left behind by the rising standard of their rivals, and the whole place was in need of an overhaul.

"I think over the last few years, and you can go back many years, a training ground was a few dressing rooms, showers and a couple of pitches, if not just one," he said.

"Ten years ago this facility was about as good as there was but, over that time, clubs have invested significantly in training grounds, in playing surfaces and support services, such as the fitness and sports science side, laundry, kit, offices and so on.

"We felt left behind a little bit over the last few years. We have certainly felt the facility had become a bit tired so we put a proposal to the owners to improve the facility and they have bought into it.

"They have invested significantly here in terms of the pitches, the artificial pitch, the offices and medical facilities here, and all the fitness facilities.

"This is a massive improvement and we feel we are up to a level now where, while we are probably not on the same level as the top Premier League clubs, we are at a Premier League level we want to be at and maintain.

"There is more we can do and there are other things we could invest in terms of long term, like hydrotherapy facilities, but I think we are at a decent standard and we need to maintain it."

The work has temporarily ended speculation that City were looking to leave Belvoir Drive for a green field site, but Neville said he could not rule out a future move.

"I don't think we can look too far into the future," he said. "Here we are, close to the stadium and the city, but some clubs have looked at greenfield sites where they can have more pitches. That becomes a major investment then. In the short to medium term, what we have done is make a massive change."

Neville said the availability of the newly-improved facilities may have contributed to City's upturn in performance in recent weeks, and said it would help attract new players.

"It is significant, but it may be a coincidence, that since we moved back into here the players have shown an improvement," he said.

"Before it reopened, we had a marquee for the players to eat in, portable buildings for them to change in and it was getting difficult once the season had started. Now they have their pre-match meals before home games and everything is moving in the right direction

"It has helped in enticing potential new players, particularly at the academy end.

"I think there is no doubt that, having these facilities, at the ground as well, is a massive attraction."

Academy manager Jon Rudkin said the facilities would certainly help the community and youth work they undertook, and demonstrated the owners' long term vision.

"The investment has been magnificent since they arrived at the football club," he said. "They have a real vision for the long term and this is part of it.

"For us as a football club and academy, we thank them greatly, and also as a city. What we are seeing at a senior level with the investment is very exciting for everyone.

"The whole place has had a major revamp and it will be beneficial right across the club.

"It is terrific when young players see not only the facilities but the standard of delivery and after-care provided by the football club. It is an environment that you would want you children involved in."

Once again it shows the owners' attitutude - a commitment to give the best of backing and to setting the standards expected in all parts of the club. Whether the pampered approach will make for better footballers or a more focused winning mentality I don't know but it is what's expected by today's potential signings and their representatives and we're rightly showing the will to compete.