Latest news with #trainingground
BBC News
3 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
'High stakes game of poker' - Newcastle 'together' despite Isak saga
It is not every day that Mickey and Minnie Mouse rock up at Newcastle United's training this was not your typical afternoon at the club's Benton base.A barbecue had been arranged for the players and their young families before the new words "better together" may have been signposted inside the canteen, but there was a notable Isak was nowhere to be seen. 'A high stakes game of poker' As much as Eddie Howe would love to be able to call upon Isak, the Newcastle head coach said it was "clear at the moment that we can't involve him in the group".Isak remains determined to leave Newcastle and join Newcastle have stood firm, rejecting a £110m bid from the champions earlier this that come as a surprise?After all, what sort of message would it send to sell Isak to Liverpool?What precedent could it set for other Newcastle players given that Isak still has three years left on his contract?How would Newcastle even go about finding a worthy replacement, particularly so late in the window?But could Isak really be reintegrated one day?This situation is a "complicated mix of employer/employee relations and the specificity of sport" in the words of Dan Chapman, the partner and head of employment and sports teams at Leathes Prior."Contractually Newcastle are likely to be well within their rights to insist that Isak trains away from the first team and are absolutely entitled to hold him to his contract and reject any advances from Liverpool," the lawyer said. "However, balanced against that is a compelling commercial reality which is that he is a very expensive player to be paying if not involved with the first team - and if they refuse to sell him this window and do not play him, his market value will only diminish. "For that reason, we often see that the so-called player power will be perceived to win out in the end, though Newcastle will be trying to ensure that, if they are going to end up selling the player, they absolutely maximise the value they receive. "They will also want Isak to recognise that if he did end up spending this season as no more than a fringe player, he would be harming his own value and, potentially, entering a World Cup year in less than ideal conditions. "Though legally Newcastle hold most of the cards here, in practical terms, the player in a situation like this will often believe he also maintains a very strong hand, and how these situations finally play out resembles a very high stakes game of poker." Group has been disrupted High stakes, has been an acknowledgement behind the scenes that a tight-knit group have been "disrupted" "during an "unsettling" period without their experienced defender Kieran Trippier vowed "we are together" and those words have been echoed by Howe."The group has been together," the Newcastle head coach insisted. "Since the moment I stepped through the door, we had our challenges."We had big mountains to climb on the pitch, but we were always united off it. It's been one of our biggest strengths and that's why we have been successful."It doesn't mean that we can't overcome this and come back even stronger. I have to work really hard with a group of players who will fight and give everything for the football club so that we use any adversity or challenge to our benefit."It will likely fall to winger Anthony Gordon to lead the line against Aston Villa on Saturday because of a lack of senior alternatives up had never been part of the plan, but the same could be said of these past couple of months in general on summer was challenging enough after Newcastle had to dash to raise funds to avoid a breach of profit and sustainability rules (PSR).But it is rather telling that club insiders believe this has been an even more difficult window. 'Anything can happen when Howe is in charge' Where do you even begin?There has been further boardroom upheaval following the departure of sporting director Paul Mitchell while chief executive Darren Eales is serving his have also missed out on several transfer targets, including Benjamin Sesko, Hugo Ekitike, Joao Pedro and James pursuits have highlighted the challenge Newcastle face to compete with clubs such as Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea and Manchester United, who have superior wage bills and a greater legacy of has left fans Concannon, who helps plan the huge flag displays before home games, admitted it was "hard not to be a little bit nervous and down" particularly with the Isak situation "adding a big cloud of doubt over the whole project".But the Wor Flags volunteer still retains hope after the bulk of the squad helped the club qualify for the Champions League and end a long wait for silverware last season."The one thing you have learned with this team is that anything can happen when Eddie Howe is in charge," he said."Newcastle still have St James' behind them and a lot of things in their favour. I still think they can definitely do something."So many things have to go right to have a good season, but there's nothing to say it can't happen - especially if they finish the transfer window on a high."That remains a big if before the window shuts on 1 Newcastle have made progress this announced the arrival of AC Milan defender Malick Thiaw and the club are in advanced negotiations with Aston Villa to sign midfielder Jacob Ramsey, having brought in Anthony Elanga and Aaron also remain interested in Brentford striker Yoane Wissa, who would be viewed as a replacement for Callum Wilson, rather than as a successor to does not feel like all hope is lost. Not yet.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Aston Villa training ground extension approved
Plans for Aston Villa to expand their Bodymoor Heath training ground have been approved. The Premier League club applied to North Warwickshire District Council for permission to create a two-storey extension to the main building at the facility. Documents show the expansion would create a bigger and updated dining and nutrition area at first floor level for senior and junior teams. The project is the latest in a series of improvements at the Warwickshire training ground, with work under way to create better facilities for the club's women and youth teams and a permanent new office space for administrative and media staff. Marginal gains 'key' In the application, the club said it was "important" for them to improve their facilities to support its "ambition to stay at the top of elite levels of men's football, where marginal gains are key to success". The current dining facilities are "inadequate" to meet the current sport science requirements the club demands, they added. A council report, which recommended that the plans were approved, said that the new development is "appropriate" for the green belt site, because it would cause "limited harm" to the openness of the landscape. In the pipeline is a new centre with 40 bedrooms for players and staff to stay on site when they return from evening games. A purpose-built academy centre is also being built, following the demolition of a number of buildings, as well as a new 3G pitch, covered by a 15-metre dome. Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. More on this story Aston Villa plans for training ground revamp European prep under way at Bodymoor Heath Related internet links Aston Villa North Warwickshire Borough Council
BBC News
6 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Aston Villa's Bodymoor Heath training ground extension approved
Plans for Aston Villa to expand their Bodymoor Heath training ground have been approved. The Premier League club applied to North Warwickshire District Council for permission to create a two-storey extension to the main building at the facility. Documents show the expansion would create a bigger and updated dining and nutrition area at first floor level for senior and junior project is the latest in a series of improvements at the Warwickshire training ground, with work under way to create better facilities for the club's women and youth teams and a permanent new office space for administrative and media staff. Marginal gains 'key' In the application, the club said it was "important" for them to improve their facilities to support its "ambition to stay at the top of elite levels of men's football, where marginal gains are key to success".The current dining facilities are "inadequate" to meet the current sport science requirements the club demands, they added.A council report, which recommended that the plans were approved, said that the new development is "appropriate" for the green belt site, because it would cause "limited harm" to the openness of the landscape. In the pipeline is a new centre with 40 bedrooms for players and staff to stay on site when they return from evening games.A purpose-built academy centre is also being built, following the demolition of a number of buildings, as well as a new 3G pitch, covered by a 15-metre dome. Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Times
09-08-2025
- Business
- Times
How can Aston Villa crack the elite? This man thinks he has the answers
A soft but dogged rain is falling at Bodymoor Heath but Francesco Calvo eschews an umbrella. He's giving a tour of the latest improvements to Aston Villa's training ground and his fine, Italian suit and shoes are getting wet. But no matter. The last thing he wants to be seen as is 'Calvo the foreigner' and he's immersing himself in it all: the club, Birmingham and its people and — now literally — the English weather. He's good company, Aston Villa's president of business operations, newly arrived from Juventus, having also driven revenue at Barcelona and Roma and worked in Formula 1. Certain executives get giddy working in the Premier League and there was one who liked to bustle about in a training top bearing his initials, yet with Calvo, 48, there's no pretence.
Daily Mail
09-08-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
How Sir Jim Ratcliffe believes £50million Carrington refurbishment and nods to Man United's glorious past can help deliver a 'winning culture' in Ruben Amorim's side
Every few years, Manchester United like to take assorted media and other guests behind the scenes at their Carrington training ground HQ. They always do so with a sense of pride. Chief executive Ed Woodward once enthusiastically pointed to a bank of screens in the recruitment department, explaining the global data had provided 804 options for a new right-back and had concluded a £50million outlay on Aaron-Wan Bissaka as being the best deal. After Woodward left, director of football John Murtough was tour host in 2023. He let slip the club would no longer be Patsy's in the transfer market and enter protracted negotiations with Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy for Harry Kane. Instead, they signed Rasmus Hojlund for £72million. Given that recent history, it was a somewhat cynical bunch of hacks who gathered at Carrington on Friday as United rolled out the red carpet to show off a £50million refurbishment that co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe believes will trigger a 'winning culture' at English football's biggest club. We probably won't have the definitive answer for a good while yet. Leicester City think they have the best training ground in Europe but it's not done them much good with two relegations in the last three seasons. To be fair though, United have presented their case admirably that a happy workplace will transfer to results on the pitch. Make no mistake, there are plenty of bells and whistles at the new Carrington. Underwater treadmills, F1 simulator games, sleep pods, live performance tracking in the gym, smart urinals, a barber's and menu options to make a five-star restaurant jealous. A padel court is coming soon at the request of the players. Space has been created so that personnel who previously worked at Old Trafford can now be based at Carrington. Movers include big-hitters like CEO Omar Berrada and figures in the commercial department. The intention is to make the club feel as United as its name would suggest. What made this tour feel different to others, and should give confidence to fans that a genuine rebuild is possible, is that the hierarchy have been happy to cede control to experts and allowed themselves to be advised rather than pretending to already know it all. Cutting the ribbon, Sir Jim even made a joke about having to listen to so many suggestions from manager Ruben Amorim about what the new place should look like. Amorim laughed along, slightly nervously, but he'll be pleased his input was taken into account. Arguably the most important voice during the tour was that of Patrick Campbell, a senior architect working for the renowned Sir Norman Foster. Architects love light and Campbell repeatedly stressed the need to make Carrington – variously compared to a gloomy dungeon or hospital – a brighter, more joyful place in which to work every day. The canteen area with giant windows overlooking the training pitches and a barber shop in the corner where players can invite their personal hair stylists is a space players will want to stay together after training. That extra time chatting in comfort or playing F1 chair can be important for building team spirit. Remember, Luke Shaw complained on the US tour that the culture in past seasons has been 'toxic'. Berrada will have seen a holistic approach work at Manchester City. To that end, United's new treatment room has changed location so injured players are not tucked away and ignored. They now have a space large enough to work on their rehab together. They can also see the training pitches, both providing extra motivation to get fit, but also giving a sense in the meantime of still being part of the family. Likewise, the under-23s dressing-room is no longer in a separate building but along the corridor from the first-team. Enough to give the feel of being part of the same firmament. There are enough examples of United past to remind the current players – including summer signings Bryan Mbuemo and Matheus Cunha with Benjamin Sesko due to follow – of who they are representing. Sir Alex Ferguson unveiled a plaque by the main entrance in honour of receptionist Kath Phipps who greeted visitors to United for 55 years before her death last year. He chatted animatedly afterwards on a sofa in the first-floor lounge to his old captain Bryan Robson – both seemed delighted to be back. The spiral staircase linking the ground floor to the first floor is flanked by some of United's trophies and a bust of Sir Matt Busby, the manager who made it all possible. Nobody, regardless of age, will be able to walk up or down through the day without glancing at them. The £50million question of course is whether it will ultimately make any difference to United's ambitions to first return to the Champions League, and then win their first Premier League title since Fergie left in 2013. Of all the players on United's books, 39-year-old third-choice goalkeeper Tom Heaton is probably best qualified to say. He started at the club aged 11 and was turning pro when United first moved to Carrington in 2000. He was part of the squad that won the Champions League under Ferguson in 2008 before furthering his career as first-choice with Burnley and Aston Villa, returning to Old Trafford in 2001. 'It felt like a pivotal moment when we moved to Carrington. They were incredible facilities for that time, but the game evolves,' says Heaton. 'By the end, it wasn't quite up to what we wanted. 'We went away from the main building last season so they could rebuild and walking back through the door, we have all been blown away. We've been given an opportunity in terms of having world-class facilities. 'It is true people make a building and players on the pitch bring results. But the building can provide the help and stability into providing those performances and I think everyone is excited.' United are nothing if not ambitious. Sir Jim likened the club brand to Coca-Cola and Apple as he presented the new facility. The new media centre has been designed to meet UEFA specifications to hold Champions League press conferences, even though the team finished 15th last season. It was only at the start of last year that Sir Jim Ratcliffe bought a 27.7% share in United. Whilst the billionaire has grand schemes ahead, like making Old Trafford the Wembley of the North, this is his first completed project. He was treated respectfully by captain Bruno Fernandes and the players who attended on Friday – Rasmus Hojlund greeted him with a strong handshake and a 'Hello Mr Chairman'. They know, in the words of Diogo Dalot, that they have 'no excuses' now they've been provided with a perfect working environment. 'Everywhere I go, however remote from the Gobi desert to northern Greenland, I bump into Manchester United fans,' said Sir Jim.
