why have england been training at man city

[fulhamben]

do they not have their own traing facilities any more

[cmg]

Not sure that they have ever had their own training facility.
Often used to use Lilleshall, but that is a National Sports Centre and I don't think it caters for football anymore.

The FA's facility at Burton has been lurching forward intermittently since the turn of the century and will be ready for use...er, sometime.

[fulhamben]

bisham abbey?

[finnster01]

Maybe because Manchester has direct flights to Norway?

[sipwell]

Because they want to start to think like champions!


(does that win me important England points??)

[Ron Sheepskin]

Because they want to start to think like champions!


(does that win me important England points??)

So you're now re-positioning yourself ahead of the mayo-dippers visit to the home of football, then?

[cmg]

bisham abbey?

Oh yes. I'd forgotten about that place. Same sort of set up as Lilleshall, it seems. Owned by Sports England and used for athletics training.
You can get married there, it seems - although I think you have to bring your own lady.

[Ron Sheepskin]

bisham abbey?

Oh yes. I'd forgotten about that place. Same sort of set up as Lilleshall, it seems. Owned by Sports England and used for athletics training.
You can get married there, it seems - although I think you have to bring your own lady.

or someone elses, if you're John Terry.

[sipwell]

Because they want to start to think like champions!


(does that win me important England points??)

So you're now re-positioning yourself ahead of the mayo-dippers visit to the home of football, then?

Nah, we'll win that game hands down. I do want England to win the trophy though. Just because you are all such lovely people!

[General]

To be honest a lot of my thoughts on Hodgsons tactics go towards having a winning mentality within the squad, and I feel this is backed up by the fact that he's gone predominantly for Liverpool/Chelsea and Man City players for the bulk of his squad and he's training them at City where there's a big group of them and where the title was won. I also think it's a lot closer to where most of the squad live.

It makes his job somewhat easier that he has so many winners to pick from - it's a lot easy to manipulate and manage as a manager - "look I got this group together because you're winners, the majority of you have won something this season and I see no reason why you can't go far this summer, you've proven it at club level, now it's time to finally show people what we as a country can do internationally" - something like that.

simples.

[RidgeRider]

To be honest a lot of my thoughts on Hodgsons tactics go towards having a winning mentality within the squad, and I feel this is backed up by the fact that he's gone predominantly for Liverpool/Chelsea and Man City players for the bulk of his squad and he's training them at City where there's a big group of them and where the title was won. I also think it's a lot closer to where most of the squad live.

It makes his job somewhat easier that he has so many winners to pick from - it's a lot easy to manipulate and manage as a manager - "look I got this group together because you're winners, the majority of you have won something this season and I see no reason why you can't go far this summer, you've proven it at club level, now it's time to finally show people what we as a country can do internationally" - something like that.

simples.

This makes a lot of sense. However he arrived at this, you know Hodgson thought it through.

[VicHalomsLovechild]

Because Motspur Park wasn't available?

[cmg]

This makes a lot of sense. However he arrived at this, you know Hodgson thought it through.

You bet.
In fact I believe that the imminent (hopefully "this year") opening of the Burton facility (St.George's Park) and the suitability of Hodgson to control matters there, had some part to play in the FA's decision.

[Oiseau]

The FA are currently building their own mega-facility called St. George's Park. It looks incredible, actually. Wonder if they were training in Manchester because either Wembley/the Wembley facilities are occupied or because they want to address the 'national football has become too south-orientated' arguments? I think they might have also wanted to link up with the England ladies who were also at Man City that day.

"St. George"

[fulhamben]

The FA are currently building their own mega-facility called St. George's Park. It looks incredible, actually. Wonder if they were training in Manchester because either Wembley/the Wembley facilities are occupied or because they want to address the 'national football has become too south-orientated' arguments? I think they might have also wanted to link up with the England ladies who were also at Man City that day.

"St. George"

wow this looks good. maybe we wont hear about frances awesome clair fontain anymore. and i get what your saying but if wembley facilities are unavailable for the england national team then something is very very wrong. and yes i know the play offs are on today

[finnster01]

The FA are currently building their own mega-facility called St. George's Park. It looks incredible, actually. Wonder if they were training in Manchester because either Wembley/the Wembley facilities are occupied or because they want to address the 'national football has become too south-orientated' arguments? I think they might have also wanted to link up with the England ladies who were also at Man City that day.

"St. George"

If the England ladies were all there, that explains why John Terry isn't playing against Norway

[cmg]

wow this looks good. maybe we wont hear about frances awesome clair fontain anymore.

Well, I sure hope so. But the fact is that, since opening Clairefontaine, the French have won the world Cup and the European Championship. And the Academy there (the kids selected go there at 13) has produced, among others, the likes of: Anelka,  Gallas, Henry and Saha. So we are giving the oppo a bit of a head start on this one.