|
|
Post by chewbacca on May 21, 2024 13:15:22 GMT
One of the issues I've had with the training ground is it's been so half arsed. It's ok but, it's not really any different to the set up at AEK Boco. Now we are hearing about parts of the land being sold off I can't see it ever being what we actually need. There's dozens of ways of improving income in the short, medium and long term but the lack of movement by everyone involved is getting more, and more frustrating. What's wrong with The Quarters, it's got two(?) first class pitches and a goalies training pitch, changing rooms and a gym, surely that's good enough for starters? It would have been great if we'd built extra pitches for the Academy and Gas Girls but that would have been even more expensive. Oxford Utd seem to have built something very similar in recent years. There's nothing wrong with it. It's fine. I mean the bare minimum for a club of our size but, fine. Like you said though it doesn't host our youngsters which, makes it harder to breed a one club ethos. When you're a couple down after a hectic period you can't just promote youngsters up to make up the numbers, they're in Frenchay. |
|
|
|
Post by Topper Gas on May 21, 2024 13:26:25 GMT
What's wrong with The Quarters, it's got two(?) first class pitches and a goalies training pitch, changing rooms and a gym, surely that's good enough for starters? It would have been great if we'd built extra pitches for the Academy and Gas Girls but that would have been even more expensive. Oxford Utd seem to have built something very similar in recent years. There's nothing wrong with it. It's fine. I mean the bare minimum for a club of our size but, fine. Like you said though it doesn't host our youngsters which, makes it harder to breed a one club ethos. When you're a couple down after a hectic period you can't just promote youngsters up to make up the numbers, they're in Frenchay. We've got agency staff who move from office to office, it's fairly easy to text somebody and say go to Almondsbury today/tomorrow rather than Frenchay. Although you are complaining we're overspending whilst saying we should have spent £1m+ more at The Quarters, perhaps Wael simply couldn't afford to spend anymore. |
|
|
|
Post by chewbacca on May 21, 2024 13:33:36 GMT
There's nothing wrong with it. It's fine. I mean the bare minimum for a club of our size but, fine. Like you said though it doesn't host our youngsters which, makes it harder to breed a one club ethos. When you're a couple down after a hectic period you can't just promote youngsters up to make up the numbers, they're in Frenchay. We've got agency staff who move from office to office, it's fairly easy to text somebody and say go to Almondsbury today/tomorrow rather than Frenchay. Although you are complaining we're overspending whilst saying we should have spent £1m+ more at The Quarters, perhaps Wael simply couldn't afford to spend anymore. It's less of a complaint. More of an observation. As for the texting, easier said than done. Every morning I see lads pile off the bus at UWE to mooch down Filton Road to training. A lot of those lads won't have ways of getting to the Quarters. As for overspending, my issue has always been on poor value for money and not using assets to create more revenue which, I think we can agree has always been an issue. Never on investing in infrastructure ensuring positive future for the club.  |
|
|
|
Post by eric on May 21, 2024 13:37:47 GMT
One of the issues I've had with the training ground is it's been so half arsed. It's ok but, it's not really any different to the set up at AEK Boco. Now we are hearing about parts of the land being sold off I can't see it ever being what we actually need. There's dozens of ways of improving income in the short, medium and long term but the lack of movement by everyone involved is getting more, and more frustrating. The photo gallery on the AEK Boco website only shows the pitch which they play on, alongside some rather worn out grass. Please could you give me the link to the info on their multi-pitch training ground, goalkeeper training area, gym, physio suite, player catering facilities etc? Another boring, predictable opportunity to slaughter the club. Bring back the glory days of training at a flooded chocolate factory with no gym and a portacabin as the only indoor space. |
|
|
|
Post by chewbacca on May 21, 2024 13:42:34 GMT
The photo gallery on the AEK Boco website only shows the pitch which they play on, alongside some rather worn out grass. Please could you give me the link to the info on their multi-pitch training ground, goalkeeper training area, gym, physio suite, player catering facilities etc? Another boring, predictable opportunity to slaughter the club. Bring back the glory days of training at a flooded chocolate factory with no gym and a portacabin as the only indoor space. Points at Exeter again...  Cliff Hill Training Ground BuildingExeter City Academy based at Cliff Hill
|
|
|
|
Post by The Equaliser on May 21, 2024 14:01:53 GMT
The photo gallery on the AEK Boco website only shows the pitch which they play on, alongside some rather worn out grass. Please could you give me the link to the info on their multi-pitch training ground, goalkeeper training area, gym, physio suite, player catering facilities etc? Another boring, predictable opportunity to slaughter the club. Bring back the glory days of training at a flooded chocolate factory with no gym and a portacabin as the only indoor space. Well in fairness, we got rather good results out of that “flooded chocolate factory with no gym and a portacabin” we produced good players , some of which we moved on at profit to sustain the club. What we now need is leadership, vision and a way of bearing fruit today. That job falls to our owners to make happen 👍🏾 |
|
|
|
Post by Topper Gas on May 21, 2024 14:21:13 GMT
Is that really a massive improvement on The Quarters, possibly a couple of extra pitches but it's hardly comparable with City's? |
|
|
|
Post by chewbacca on May 21, 2024 14:23:47 GMT
Is that really a massive improvement on The Quarters, possibly a couple of extra pitches but it's hardly comparable with City's? My point was about having the Academy train at the same place which, they do. I've used a club of a similar size, it's pointless comparing with City. |
|
|
|
Post by Tilly's Thighs on May 21, 2024 14:31:27 GMT
Pointing at Exeter - don't they lease their ground from the local Council? With said Council, and a developer who purchased some land behind the stadium, funding the ground redevelopment in recent years? It must help to balance the books when a club isn't paying for stadium improvements (apart from £200k for the away end upgrade)
|
|
|
|
Post by curlywurly on May 21, 2024 14:35:54 GMT
Is that really a massive improvement on The Quarters, possibly a couple of extra pitches but it's hardly comparable with City's? It's a bit better than the overhead view suggests as they've built some more since then. Half way between the Quarters and City's facility IMO.
Personally, I think the Quarters is/was a big step in the right direction, but the desire to sweat the asset (and build houses on part of the land) means the footballing plans need a re-orientation on site.
|
|
|
|
Post by chewbacca on May 21, 2024 14:44:20 GMT
Pointing at Exeter - don't they lease their ground from the local Council? With said Council, and a developer who purchased some land behind the stadium, funding the ground redevelopment in recent years? It must help to balance the books when a club isn't paying for stadium improvements (apart from £200k for the away end upgrade) St James Park is leased off the Council and has been since 1994, recently an agreement was signed to take the lease forward until 2046. The new Stagecoach Stand was offset by the building of student accommodation behind the Big Bank Stand. Not overly different from the Mem redevelopment funding ideas c2008. Of course no two clubs financial situation will be the same but looking at a club at a similar level and how they've developed from a low base is a handy indicator. Ultimately we're losing a lot of money and it feels a lack of investment over the past 15-20 years is costing us more, and more each year. The chasing your tail model of funding the football club can only go on for so long which, is why 50%+ of the club was sold by Wael. I'm hoping rather than expecting AlSaeed can buck the trend of thriving rather than surviving. |
|
|
|
Post by Topper Gas on May 21, 2024 14:50:35 GMT
Is that really a massive improvement on The Quarters, possibly a couple of extra pitches but it's hardly comparable with City's? My point was about having the Academy train at the same place which, they do. I've used a club of a similar size, it's pointless comparing with City. The only thing stopping the Academy training at The Quarters is the money to build the pitches etc, it was always the long term plan to do that. I'm not really sure what the issue is, it's not like the club has suggested the Academy will always train off-site. Although I doubt just moving the Academy to The Quarters will then suddenly lead to us producing a long line of first team saleable players. |
|
|
|
Post by chewbacca on May 21, 2024 14:59:54 GMT
My point was about having the Academy train at the same place which, they do. I've used a club of a similar size, it's pointless comparing with City. The only thing stopping the Academy training at The Quarters is the money to build the pitches etc, it was always the long term plan to do that. I'm not really sure what the issue is, it's not like the club has suggested the Academy will always train off-site. Although I doubt just moving the Academy to The Quarters will then suddenly lead to us producing a long line of first team saleable players. Like curlywurly said, is that still the plan? There's talking of selling off land for housing, does that lend itself to further expansion? I think The Quarters is fine, absolutely fine. Could it be better? Absolutely! Would getting the Academy under one roof lead to more of a one club feel? Again, absolutely! I read an article recently talking about the positives seen at Liverpool by bringing the Academy and First Team into one set up. The Academy trained 5 miles away from Melwood which, Jurgen Klopp himself didn't like. Since opening in 2020, Liverpool have seen plenty more Academy players slot into the first team. It's not a perfect science and comparing us to Liverpool is just daft but it's an example. You can also point at St George's Park where you often get u21's promoted into the first team because there is a one team ethos. Will it happen straight away? No, of course not but I think we'd see a pay off both through players we can develop for ourselves and maybe, one day a profit. |
|
|
|
Post by Topper Gas on May 21, 2024 15:08:40 GMT
The plan is to move the Academy to The Quarters and make it a Grade 2 Academy which will also require us to introduce a Development Squad, there's plenty of room for the Academy at The Quarters.
|
|
|
|
Post by chewbacca on May 21, 2024 15:11:09 GMT
The plan is to move the Academy to The Quarters and make it a Grade 2 Academy which will also require us to introduce a Development Squad, there's plenty of room for the Academy at The Quarters. I look forward to that happening in due course |
|
yattongas
Forum Legend
Posts: 15,483 
Member is Online
|
Post by yattongas on May 21, 2024 15:12:27 GMT
Just looked on google earth and the Teds training ground doesn’t look that much better or bigger than the Quarters. Unless I’m missing something?
|
|
|
|
Post by chewbacca on May 21, 2024 15:15:44 GMT
Just looked on google earth and the Teds training ground doesn’t look that much better or bigger than the Quarters. Unless I’m missing something? Some bits and bobs have it at a much higher level. I don't think it's fair to compare our set up to midtable Championship clubs with billionaire owners. |
|
|
|
Post by curlywurly on May 21, 2024 16:20:43 GMT
The only thing stopping the Academy training at The Quarters is the money to build the pitches etc, it was always the long term plan to do that. I'm not really sure what the issue is, it's not like the club has suggested the Academy will always train off-site. Although I doubt just moving the Academy to The Quarters will then suddenly lead to us producing a long line of first team saleable players. Like curlywurly said, is that still the plan? There's talking of selling off land for housing, does that lend itself to further expansion? I think The Quarters is fine, absolutely fine. Could it be better? Absolutely! Would getting the Academy under one roof lead to more of a one club feel? Again, absolutely! I read an article recently talking about the positives seen at Liverpool by bringing the Academy and First Team into one set up. The Academy trained 5 miles away from Melwood which, Jurgen Klopp himself didn't like. Since opening in 2020, Liverpool have seen plenty more Academy players slot into the first team. It's not a perfect science and comparing us to Liverpool is just daft but it's an example. You can also point at St George's Park where you often get u21's promoted into the first team because there is a one team ethos. Will it happen straight away? No, of course not but I think we'd see a pay off both through players we can develop for ourselves and maybe, one day a profit. I think Hussein was clear on his intentions for the quarters in his last interview - which is good. My point is that since South Glos. approval of the plans in June 2022, there is a pause to the phasing of the developments outlined at that stage, i.e. turn the building into a full square, add a further pitch to the east. I don't think the reason for this is a reluctance to invest, but was caused because South Glos themselves asked for potential sites for new house building in an attempt to address the housing crisis. The logical part of the Quarters to build houses on would be the western part of site, with access from Hortham lane, i.e. where the pitches are currently. IF, part of the site is to be sold/leased for housing, it would need a rethink to the plans and new permissions. I'm mindful that the 2018 plan to convert buildings to 3 houses was refused on site, but also bear in mind the time it took from original purchase of the land until we actually started to train there.
|
|
|
|
Post by Tilly's Thighs on May 21, 2024 17:59:45 GMT
The plan is to move the Academy to The Quarters and make it a Grade 2 Academy which will also require us to introduce a Development Squad, there's plenty of room for the Academy at The Quarters. I look forward to that happening in due course Don't hold your breath!  |
|
|
|
Post by Gasshole on May 21, 2024 23:51:59 GMT
Exeter ain’t got no lagoon, City neither.
Quarters # 1, facility in the South West.
|
|
