|
|
Post by knowingeye on Jun 5, 2008 8:36:12 GMT
BBC Sport linkMore good football news for Staffordshire. The Football Association's board has announced that the national football centre will be based in Burton-on-Trent in Staffordshire. Planning permission and funding have yet to be secured for the project. FA chief executive Brian Barwick said: "The (centre) is an extremely important part of our future and we can now press ahead with making it a reality. "Now we must look to the finer detail and achieve a world-class facility to help our cause." The FA has already invested £25m in the 350-acre site it purchased in 2001 and plans to have the centre in operation by 2010. The centre will act as the focal point for the FA's coaching and player development work and has been hailed as the equivalent of French football's Clairefontaine or Italy's Coverciano. It is essential to the long-term development of coaching and young players that we have a hub for all our activity, and the NFC will provide that Sir Trevor Brooking, FA director of football development, said Burton was a key component of the "root and branch" changes he wanted to make to the way England produced footballers. "It is essential to the long-term development of coaching and young players that we have a hub for all our activity, and the NFC will provide that," he said. "Everyone recognises the significance of the facility across all levels of the game." A series of delays, primarily caused by the governing body's Wembley-related financial problems, culminated in a decision to halt construction in 2004 - two years after the NFC was originally supposed to open - with only the basic infrastructure and pitches completed. The project had been in limbo ever since, with some FA board members calling for the governing body to cut its losses and sell Burton. Among the leading sceptics were Football League chairman Lord Mawhinney and Premier League chairman Sir David Richards, both advocates of smaller, regional bases that would support the work already done by the clubs' academies and centres of excellence. (Apologies if previously posted)
|
|
|
|
Post by crowey on Jun 5, 2008 13:45:08 GMT
Excuse me if I'm wrong, but I thought the centre of the universe had been Lilleshall until the last few minutes? Why would you make this monumental move & investment when millions of pounds have been invested in the original site? Smells very fishy to me. Someone from Derbyshire involved perhaps? Nigel? Would suit him tremendously
|
|
|
|
Post by crowey on Jun 5, 2008 13:47:57 GMT
OOPS, I was sure they were in Derbyshire - don't get me wrong, they are my County team in cricket. Obviously just the right side of the river!
|
|
|
|
Post by craig67 on Jun 5, 2008 13:50:48 GMT
Wasn't this on Midlands Today,about 2 days ago?
|
|
|
|
Post by lordb on Jun 5, 2008 16:34:25 GMT
the centre is a crucial part of the future development of English players but for me the real money needs to be invested over the long term on coaches (especially in the youngest age groups) & on
pitches/training rooms for kids everywhere.
|
|
|
|
Post by knowingeye on Jun 5, 2008 16:39:07 GMT
Wasn't this on Midlands Today,about 2 days ago? (Apologies if previously posted) |
|
|
|
Post by whoknew on Jun 5, 2008 16:46:14 GMT
Lilleshall is a national sports center, there u can do football, gymnastic, outdoor pursuits, badminton, bowls to name a few.
Burton will be used purely for a football basis. Nothing else. It will be the national center for football as Holme Pierrpoint is for water sports.
It makes perfect sense if the FA are serious about actually winning something before im 30!!!
|
|
|
|
Post by Lakeland Potter on Jun 5, 2008 17:05:42 GMT
I'm sure the FA have made the right decision - pity thay have given the go ahead after wasting several years during which the project ground to a halt. Still, better late than never!
I wonder if there are any advantages for clubs, such as ours, based in the area in having the national centre on our doorstep so to speak?
|
|
|
|
Post by bettyswallocks on Jun 5, 2008 17:28:34 GMT
Could well encourage more youths around the reigon to realise what excellent facilities they have and aspire them to become great footballers through discipline and hard work. More a job of the parents that though.
In the long run this can only be a good thing for English football
|
|
|
|
Post by GlynDerby on Jun 5, 2008 19:22:34 GMT
Excuse me if I'm wrong, but I thought the centre of the universe had been Lilleshall until the last few minutes? Why would you make this monumental move & investment when millions of pounds have been invested in the original site? Smells very fishy to me. Someone from Derbyshire involved perhaps? Nigel? Would suit him tremendously Burton on trent or to give the exact location, Rangemore. is in Staffordshire and all the foundations and several good quality pitches were laid some years ago, When Wembley suddenly went 50 times over budget they stopped work on burton as they couldnt afford it. Its always been there tucked away behind the trees but just been untouched for several years. The only reason that they are now going to carry on with Burton is the money they have already put into it is too much just to turn their back on. Half of the FA wanted the centre closer to London but it was the investment already made in Burton that swung the vote................... ..............which made me very happy because i can see it from my house ;D ;D And i've already played on all the pitches even before the england team ;D |
|
