Etihad Campus, Stadium and Collar Site Development Thread

[Wilf Wild 1937]

Re: Etihad Campus, Stadium Development and Collar Site (cont

Most kids don't have footballs, they have rolled up rags, or a small ball if they are lucky yet most of the world produces better footballers.

Of course we should strive for the best facilities possible, but that's the final 2-3%. Playing at the margins.

Didn't the guy who runs the cycling (Dave Brailsford?) say that it was the accumulation of small advantages that made the
Olympic team so successful? Having practice pitches that replicate Anfield & The Emirates for example should help in our
preparations for those specific away games.

maybe he did, but the comparison makes my point

In minority sports, investment in all important facilities like Velodromes increases the pool of potential winners / participants.

Anyone could invest in Velodromes and Cycling infrastructure and get results. But everyone plays football, and the more impoverished you are, the more likely you are to get good at the sport

I think that you are right in using the "hungry fighter" being the best fighter type analogy. If you look at Scotland for example when the kids
lived in tenements and played football using a tennis ball, because that's all that they could afford, they produced loads of great players
whereas now they produce nobody. I think what he was referring to however wasn't the actual velodrome but it was things like the secret
aerodynamic cycling suits that they wore at the 2008 Olympics or the slightly altered wheels that they used at the 2012 Games.
I agree having a world class facility won't of itself produce a world class player but if we give guys like Aguero and Yaya, who we know are
already world class, a slight advantage by using these facilities it will help to make us more successful. At the elite level 2-3% is often the
difference between winning and losing.

 

[Questy]

Re: Etihad Campus, Stadium Development and Collar Site (cont

Its all about giving yourselves the best chance you can possibly have and City are trying to give their players the best they can too make it as a team, by giving them quality and professionally run facilities it sure as hell is not going to do them any harm.

I Breed Greyhounds and give my Pups the Best Chance off success by giving them the best I can with what Facilities I have too offer and what Diet I can provide them, obviously I cannot give them a faster Engine than what they are born with but I sure as hell can nurture that Engine and make sure they get the maximum out off it, this applies too Players, obviously they come in with the Ability and its about nurturing that Talent and bringing it too its peak on the Pitch, very easy too lose that edge by bad management on any level off a players career.

 

[NeilYoungIsBack]

Re: Etihad Campus, Stadium Development and Collar Site (cont

Originally posted by RMB2007, on SSC.

More pictures here.

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.airviews.info/etihad_campus_bridge.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.airviews.info/etihad_campus_bridge.html</a>

Those training pitches look very pretty but are we getting any of those state-of-the-art secret cameras that Herman van Munster has installed which have transformed the Swampsters into world-beaters ?

 

[Centurions]

Re: Etihad Campus, Stadium Development and Collar Site (cont

Its all about giving yourselves the best chance you can possibly have and City are trying to give their players the best they can too make it as a team, by giving them quality and professionally run facilities it sure as hell is not going to do them any harm.

I Breed Greyhounds and give my Pups the Best Chance off success by giving them the best I can with what Facilities I have too offer and what Diet I can provide them, obviously I cannot give them a faster Engine than what they are born with but I sure as hell can nurture that Engine and make sure they get the maximum out off it, this applies too Players, obviously they come in with the Ability and its about nurturing that Talent and bringing it too its peak on the Pitch, very easy too lose that edge by bad management on any level off a players career.

Do all the capital letters you use form an anagram? Can you give us a clue because I can't see it. ;)

 

[Centurions]

Re: Etihad Campus, Stadium Development and Collar Site (cont

I suppose the business of football is beyond many on here. It's just free oil money

Still enjoying the fishing I see mate. Hope you throw them back at some point

I'm honestly not fishing. I think it's a legitimate discussion. The new academy will have to bear serious fruit to give a return on the investment. Obviously it's a long term project and I trust the decision makers to get it right.

But if it wasn't for the sheikh being so rich, this would be seen as a huge gamble.

True to a point but you have to think long term really to see the benefit. Although there is also the sponsorship advantages, since the capital costs don't count for FFP considerations but the income definitely does. And the added benefit that it probably annoys Mr Whinger, just the icing on the cake.

 

[Carver]

Re: Etihad Campus, Stadium Development and Collar Site (cont

I'm sorry, but which pitch will we be using to prepare for the away derby? They are all looking way too well groomed. Will we have to go to the local park? (in fairness the swamp was a lot better last season now that they have finally got desso, a decent pitch probably contributed to their poor home record too as they didn't have the advantage of being used to their shit pitch).

 

[Questy]

Re: Etihad Campus, Stadium Development and Collar Site (cont

Its all about giving yourselves the best chance you can possibly have and City are trying to give their players the best they can too make it as a team, by giving them quality and professionally run facilities it sure as hell is not going to do them any harm.

I Breed Greyhounds and give my Pups the Best Chance off success by giving them the best I can with what Facilities I have too offer and what Diet I can provide them, obviously I cannot give them a faster Engine than what they are born with but I sure as hell can nurture that Engine and make sure they get the maximum out off it, this applies too Players, obviously they come in with the Ability and its about nurturing that Talent and bringing it too its peak on the Pitch, very easy too lose that edge by bad management on any level off a players career.

Do all the capital letters you use form an anagram? Can you give us a clue because I can't see it. ;)

God knows why I do that, but its not the 1st time and sure it wont be the last time, next time though I may try some form of AnAgRaM ;-)

 

[Manchester33]

Re: Etihad Campus, Stadium Development and Collar Site (cont

I suppose the business of football is beyond many on here. It's just free oil money

Still enjoying the fishing I see mate. Hope you throw them back at some point

I'm honestly not fishing. I think it's a legitimate discussion. The new academy will have to bear serious fruit to give a return on the investment. Obviously it's a long term project and I trust the decision makers to get it right.

But if it wasn't for the sheikh being so rich, this would be seen as a huge gamble.

Without wanting to sound patronising, I think you're missing the bigger picture.

In the grand scheme of things, a lot of players would prefer to go and play for Liverpool/United, or live in London as opposed to playing for us. Building state of the art facilities like these are another pull factor to our club.

At a youth level, which IMO is more important now then ever, every 'scholar' is going to be given a free room that gets cleaned, meals, tele, driving lessons, cooking lessons, education ect on site. My girlfriends brother is due to move into the on site apartments around September, and he says his whole age group are buzzing about the prospect of living there. Everything will be more easily orchestrated from the complex and we definitely wont see pictures of Balotelli trying to punch Mancini.

I think it was bordering on necessity to move to a new training complex.

 

[oldius]

Re: Etihad Campus, Stadium Development and Collar Site (cont

Still enjoying the fishing I see mate. Hope you throw them back at some point

I'm honestly not fishing. I think it's a legitimate discussion. The new academy will have to bear serious fruit to give a return on the investment. Obviously it's a long term project and I trust the decision makers to get it right.

But if it wasn't for the sheikh being so rich, this would be seen as a huge gamble.

Without wanting to sound patronising, I think you're missing the bigger picture.

In the grand scheme of things, a lot of players would prefer to go and play for Liverpool/United, or live in London as opposed to playing for us. Building state of the art facilities like these are another pull factor to our club.

At a youth level, which IMO is more important now then ever, every 'scholar' is going to be given a free room that gets cleaned, meals, tele, driving lessons, cooking lessons, education ect on site. My girlfriends brother is due to move into the on site apartments around September, and he says his whole age group are buzzing about the prospect of living there. Everything will be more easily orchestrated from the complex and we definitely wont see pictures of Balotelli trying to punch Mancini.

I think it was bordering on necessity to move to a new training complex.

That's all well and good but what about the cameras?

 

[blueyorkie]

Re: Etihad Campus, Stadium Development and Collar Site (cont

Well I'm sure the mew facilities are better, but it's hard to visualise a return on the investment apart from as a FFP dodge. The thought crosses my mind about the other clubs bought, too.

How is it an FFP dodge?

Because you spend a hundred million which doesn't count towards FFP, then sell several academy products every year to add to the top line.

Thought UEFA tried to encourage investment in youth? Maybe i misread their intentions