Melbourne City Gets There Own Cfa
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A bit more info for anyone who's interested. This is from an Australian news item which was posted on the Melbourne City forums. I basically just copied that post, pics and all. Possibly suggests some stuff about NYCFC's own facilities, or their plans for them, though I wouldn't be surprised if they would be bigger than this:
Jack Clisby and Robert Koren try out the surface.
THEY’RE Abu Dhabi based and their spiritual home is Manchester, but the City Football Group have declared their long-term commitment to the A-League with a spectacular $15m investment.
The City Football Academy, Melbourne, will be unveiled on Friday, and the plush new home of Melbourne City completes a stunning 13-month transition from paupers to A-League princes.
It pales in comparison to the $635m facility in Manchester, but it brings CFG’s total investment to in excess of $30m, including the $11.25m buy in January 2014.
Based at Bundoora’s Latrobe University, it’s just 500 metres from the grounds they’ve trained at since 2010, which will become the training grounds for their youth sides.
The new training surface cost $2m alone.
“This is very important, this is the fundament of what they want to do in the long period they’ve said they’ll be involved. To do that you need good facilities,’’ Melbourne City coach John van’t Schip said.
“If you build a house you need good fundaments and this is all in place now, so from here creating something for the coming years is in place and that’s the first important step.
“It’s not just word, the actions are there.’’
THE SHOP WINDOW
ENTERING the car park, the new administrative headquarters to the left are impressive, but the plush new and uniquely sized pitch to the left steals the show.
No expense was spared as the same machines that installed pitches in Manchester and Paris St-Germain and will now go to Villareal, were used in Bundoora.
The laundry facilities.
The DESSO pitch - a hybrid grass system where natural grassroots intertwine with artificial turf fibres - cost $2m alone. DESSO is believed to be able to withstand three times the wear of a normal pitch.
It’s the attention to detail throughout, starting with the pitch, which stands out.
The dimension caters for 1.5 pitches, but allow up to four full-size orientations, to maintain surface quality.
The result? Australia’s best training pitch, according to City.
“We’re very lucky to have The City Football Group behind us,’’ defender Connor Chapman said.
“I went to Sunderland when I was younger to train and this facility has everything that they had and now there’s no more excuses.
The weights room of the state of the art $15m facility.
“The DESSO pitch is the best in Australia, the facilities are there and now it’s up to us to show we’re quality players.’’
Socceroos striker Josh Kennedy, who’s played in Germany and Japan, said it was comparable to anything he’s seen.
“It’s a top class facility, as far as a sports team and definitely a soccer team goes for Australia or Asia, it’ll be one of the best,’’ Kennedy said.
“Not just because it’s new, but the setup, how the rooms are set out, where the pitch is, how the pitch is.
“Everything’s there, you don’t have to go anywhere for lunch, the offices are there.
“It’s modern, it’s fresh, it’s a nice place to be in.’’
Playing boots await the players.
GYPSIES NO MORE
A 30 metre sky blue rubber mat connects the pitch with the office, with the players’ changeroom and boot room on one side and the gym on the other.
The one-stop-shop is a welcome relief to head of footy ops John Didulica, who’s spent much of recent years sweating about where the team would train the next day.
Now players have less than 10 metres to walk to the coaches’ meeting room or the gym.
“In the old facility we did everything (meetings) in the dressingroom with nothing. Or we had to take players to the office,’’ van’t Schip said.
“Now we step to the next room and we start talking. We have screens, we can invite players, show footage.
Corridor leading to the gymnasium.
“It’s a little example but a very important one.
“We never made issues of those things (such as wheelie bin ice baths), the players were professional throughout.
“But if you’re talking about high standards we were way off.
“Everyone has that feeling when they arrive in the morning, that it’s kind of a second home.
“Being together with the administration staff is a big advantage because they’re all part of the club, we’re one big family.’’
Players change rooms built in a circle for team unity.
THE ONE PERCENTERS
EVEN in the offices, everything leads to the pitch, a reminder of the ultimate goal.
Furthest from the pitch are the offices, where the admin staff is based.
But as soon as they come into the main reception area, the pitch is visible down the hallway, and that final straight is where the most staggering level of detail lies.
On the left side it starts with the coaches’ rooms and meeting rooms, followed by the physio room, with the hydrotherapy bath then sandwiching that and the changeroom, which is circular.
Replicating the Manchester changeroom, this is said to eliminate hierarchy, while the lockers are divided into three lots: defenders, midfielders, attackers.
Melbourne, Manchester, New York City and Yokohama F Marinos’s logos feature.
Players have electronic access to messages and daily schedules, with a separate changeroom for youth and train on players.
The right wing starts with a large laundry, operated by a full-time employee, then there’s the gym.
The gym starts with a rehab area, the stretching/cardio/weights section is in the middle and symbolically placed by the window closest to the nearby pitch are the exercise bikes, used in the final step of players’ rehab process.
“The way it’s set out and decorated, laid out, it’s a proper professional football setup and that’s how we want to perform,’’ Kennedy said.
Playing boots await the players.
“We want to professional, top of the league and it’s a great start to have that behind us.
“If we can perform on the pitch like the way the changeroom looks now then nothing will stop us.
“As far as the setup goes it’ll be one of the best in Australia.’’
Fellow marquee Robbie Koren witnessed huge facilities improvements at both West Brom and Hull City, who have both solidified their top flight status in recent years.
“It’s easy to say that this facility compares to any facility in the UK,’’ Koren said.
“I’ve been part of big changes with both clubs in the UK, they improved a lot in my time there with facilities and the same here and I know from my experience it’s a massive thing for the future.
“It’s something all the players need and every player has everything they need to improve and work hard everyday.’’
BUILDING A NEW CITY
Melbourne City’s home renovation.
Cost: more than $15 million.
Home for? Houses all 35 non-playing staff.
How big? Can hold up to 90 employees.
DESSO pitch: Most advanced playing surface in Australia. Pitch has 20 million-plus artificial grass fibres intertwined with natural grass.
Jack Clisby and Robert Koren try out the surface.
THEY’RE Abu Dhabi based and their spiritual home is Manchester, but the City Football Group have declared their long-term commitment to the A-League with a spectacular $15m investment.
The City Football Academy, Melbourne, will be unveiled on Friday, and the plush new home of Melbourne City completes a stunning 13-month transition from paupers to A-League princes.
It pales in comparison to the $635m facility in Manchester, but it brings CFG’s total investment to in excess of $30m, including the $11.25m buy in January 2014.
Based at Bundoora’s Latrobe University, it’s just 500 metres from the grounds they’ve trained at since 2010, which will become the training grounds for their youth sides.
The new training surface cost $2m alone.
“This is very important, this is the fundament of what they want to do in the long period they’ve said they’ll be involved. To do that you need good facilities,’’ Melbourne City coach John van’t Schip said.
“If you build a house you need good fundaments and this is all in place now, so from here creating something for the coming years is in place and that’s the first important step.
“It’s not just word, the actions are there.’’
THE SHOP WINDOW
ENTERING the car park, the new administrative headquarters to the left are impressive, but the plush new and uniquely sized pitch to the left steals the show.
No expense was spared as the same machines that installed pitches in Manchester and Paris St-Germain and will now go to Villareal, were used in Bundoora.
The laundry facilities.
The DESSO pitch - a hybrid grass system where natural grassroots intertwine with artificial turf fibres - cost $2m alone. DESSO is believed to be able to withstand three times the wear of a normal pitch.
It’s the attention to detail throughout, starting with the pitch, which stands out.
The dimension caters for 1.5 pitches, but allow up to four full-size orientations, to maintain surface quality.
The result? Australia’s best training pitch, according to City.
“We’re very lucky to have The City Football Group behind us,’’ defender Connor Chapman said.
“I went to Sunderland when I was younger to train and this facility has everything that they had and now there’s no more excuses.
The weights room of the state of the art $15m facility.
“The DESSO pitch is the best in Australia, the facilities are there and now it’s up to us to show we’re quality players.’’
Socceroos striker Josh Kennedy, who’s played in Germany and Japan, said it was comparable to anything he’s seen.
“It’s a top class facility, as far as a sports team and definitely a soccer team goes for Australia or Asia, it’ll be one of the best,’’ Kennedy said.
“Not just because it’s new, but the setup, how the rooms are set out, where the pitch is, how the pitch is.
“Everything’s there, you don’t have to go anywhere for lunch, the offices are there.
“It’s modern, it’s fresh, it’s a nice place to be in.’’
Playing boots await the players.
GYPSIES NO MORE
A 30 metre sky blue rubber mat connects the pitch with the office, with the players’ changeroom and boot room on one side and the gym on the other.
The one-stop-shop is a welcome relief to head of footy ops John Didulica, who’s spent much of recent years sweating about where the team would train the next day.
Now players have less than 10 metres to walk to the coaches’ meeting room or the gym.
“In the old facility we did everything (meetings) in the dressingroom with nothing. Or we had to take players to the office,’’ van’t Schip said.
“Now we step to the next room and we start talking. We have screens, we can invite players, show footage.
Corridor leading to the gymnasium.
“It’s a little example but a very important one.
“We never made issues of those things (such as wheelie bin ice baths), the players were professional throughout.
“But if you’re talking about high standards we were way off.
“Everyone has that feeling when they arrive in the morning, that it’s kind of a second home.
“Being together with the administration staff is a big advantage because they’re all part of the club, we’re one big family.’’
Players change rooms built in a circle for team unity.
THE ONE PERCENTERS
EVEN in the offices, everything leads to the pitch, a reminder of the ultimate goal.
Furthest from the pitch are the offices, where the admin staff is based.
But as soon as they come into the main reception area, the pitch is visible down the hallway, and that final straight is where the most staggering level of detail lies.
On the left side it starts with the coaches’ rooms and meeting rooms, followed by the physio room, with the hydrotherapy bath then sandwiching that and the changeroom, which is circular.
Replicating the Manchester changeroom, this is said to eliminate hierarchy, while the lockers are divided into three lots: defenders, midfielders, attackers.
Melbourne, Manchester, New York City and Yokohama F Marinos’s logos feature.
Players have electronic access to messages and daily schedules, with a separate changeroom for youth and train on players.
The right wing starts with a large laundry, operated by a full-time employee, then there’s the gym.
The gym starts with a rehab area, the stretching/cardio/weights section is in the middle and symbolically placed by the window closest to the nearby pitch are the exercise bikes, used in the final step of players’ rehab process.
“The way it’s set out and decorated, laid out, it’s a proper professional football setup and that’s how we want to perform,’’ Kennedy said.
Playing boots await the players.
“We want to professional, top of the league and it’s a great start to have that behind us.
“If we can perform on the pitch like the way the changeroom looks now then nothing will stop us.
“As far as the setup goes it’ll be one of the best in Australia.’’
Fellow marquee Robbie Koren witnessed huge facilities improvements at both West Brom and Hull City, who have both solidified their top flight status in recent years.
“It’s easy to say that this facility compares to any facility in the UK,’’ Koren said.
“I’ve been part of big changes with both clubs in the UK, they improved a lot in my time there with facilities and the same here and I know from my experience it’s a massive thing for the future.
“It’s something all the players need and every player has everything they need to improve and work hard everyday.’’
BUILDING A NEW CITY
Melbourne City’s home renovation.
Cost: more than $15 million.
Home for? Houses all 35 non-playing staff.
How big? Can hold up to 90 employees.
DESSO pitch: Most advanced playing surface in Australia. Pitch has 20 million-plus artificial grass fibres intertwined with natural grass.
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Very nice. I don't know about anyone else but I think it's pretty cool seeing nycfc logo up there with the other teams on that wall.
All of this speaks to a long term play by CFG. And if manged well this will be a good thing for us.
I don't think there is any doubt cfg takes all of their soccer properties very seriously and are very smart business men behind pulling the strings that understand you need smart soccer league knowledge to be successful each respective league. As soon they hired Jason Kreis I knew NYCFC meant business and I for one am glad I gravitated to his team and I consider myself a die hard fan already. Even during preseason games I was very pumped when we scored like it was a regular season game and it pissed off we lost to brondby and dynamo. Let's get the season started and I will catch a lot of my fellow nycfc fans at the citrus bowl a week from tomorrow God willing. Super excited!
This is how Melbourne Heart (as City was known prior) used to take recovery baths
Citys investment has helped but they still pull low crowds. The last two games were about 6500 and 7000 odd.
Not sure what they can do to turn it around tbh. Melbourne Victory is the one team people like there and thats supported mostly from people of varying ethnic backgrounds( greek, italian croatian mostly)
Citys investment has helped but they still pull low crowds. The last two games were about 6500 and 7000 odd.
Not sure what they can do to turn it around tbh. Melbourne Victory is the one team people like there and thats supported mostly from people of varying ethnic backgrounds( greek, italian croatian mostly)
This is how Melbourne Heart (as City was known prior) used to take recovery baths
Citys investment has helped but they still pull low crowds. The last two games were about 6500 and 7000 odd.
Not sure what they can do to turn it around tbh. Melbourne Victory is the one team people like there and thats supported mostly from people of varying ethnic backgrounds( greek, italian croatian mostly)
Long term, if they became the crown jewel of Australian Youth Development, thus developing Australian stars, people will come around.
This is how Melbourne Heart (as City was known prior) used to take recovery baths
Citys investment has helped but they still pull low crowds. The last two games were about 6500 and 7000 odd.
Not sure what they can do to turn it around tbh. Melbourne Victory is the one team people like there and thats supported mostly from people of varying ethnic backgrounds( greek, italian croatian mostly)
Well, one of the things they can do to increase their attendance is to stop playing bottom-of-the-table football. Their team is in desperate need of a shake-up, which is exactly what it should get this summer. Also, they're smarting this season from putting such a heavy emphasis on David Villa playing for them in their pre-season promotional material. Once he was recalled to NYC, the new fans hung around for about 1-2 games to see what the team would do and then just gave up.
It's worth mentioning, though, that in Australian football an average crowd is only around 10-12k, possibly even lower than that. The highest attendances in the league are for the Melbourne derby, where around 27,000 is typical, but then Melbourne Victory pulls low 20,000s every game anyway. Getting crowds to only around 15,000 would be considered a major achievement for Melbourne City, and it would be far in excess of anything they'd ever drawn before (derby games permitted).
OK, granted. They got above 15k then. I'd forgotten it was so high for that game, honestly. But then half of the crowd were there just to see Villa that day. Even though he played and scored and it looked like he was living up to the hype, the next home game they only had 13k. By their 3rd home game, by which time he'd just left, they were down to 9k, which is a more usual figure for them.
Something that have been sort of lost in these academy/training camp porn threads are Marinosu Taun (or Marinos Town) which is the training camp/club HQ for our CFG cousins Yokohama F Marinos.
Personally I love how it is situated smack in the middle of the Yokohama Port area.
Personally I love how it is situated smack in the middle of the Yokohama Port area.
What is the average attendance? Probaly those games were not the top ones or they were at the same time with AFL (australian football). I'd rather watch australian football than football in AustraliaThis is how Melbourne Heart (as City was known prior) used to take recovery baths
Citys investment has helped but they still pull low crowds. The last two games were about 6500 and 7000 odd.
Not sure what they can do to turn it around tbh. Melbourne Victory is the one team people like there and thats supported mostly from people of varying ethnic backgrounds( greek, italian croatian mostly)
Yep and up until the Asian Cup this year that was held in Australia this was your average bench in the A-League:
now they'll have these:
now they'll have these:
Actually I think those were only for the Asian cup.Yep and up until the Asian Cup this year that was held in Australia this was your average bench in the A-League:
now they'll have these:
The glass cover is only for the AFC. It gets removed for league games because apparently it "interferes with the viewing". However, they're keeping the seats.
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