A Day at the CCFC Vale Training Ground

[quote title=Lawnmower wrote on Sat, 26 November 2011 12:29]I was lucky enough to attend this on Thursday.

Was greeted by Tracey, who seems to look after all the players and guests. She sorted us out breakfast in the players canteen/lounge where the City players ate theirs watched SSN and generally just relaxed. Interesting to see the characters there, some louder and messing about -Gerrard, Millar, Quinn,.. others more laid back .. as you can guess Whitts, Kev..

Seemed to be a really good atmosphere both in there and on the training ground.

The breakfast -tea and toast was great and the players then went for a post-match debrief with Malky, the ones who didnt feature at Cov stayed in the lounge. Poor old Taiwo watching his phone expectantly - maybe hoping ofr a loan move. Felt a bit for him, must be frustrating being left out.

Hudson came over and had a chat with us, he was waiting for his scan results, and was hoping he could play. Really nice guy, he'd previously helped my mate out with some stuff for charity and took great interest in that. I made sure I told him all the messageboarders who slag him off are brainless [email]tw@ts[/email] :hehe: (only joking -just wished him a speedy revovery). Tracey stayed and chatted with us too and gave us an interesting insight of the way things work there and also some ex-players, managers and working with Sam Hammam :hehe:

We then had a tour of the facilities which are superb, and met a lot of the back-room staff -and there are loads.
-Stats man and assistant, with his stats room complete with charts, projector screen and 30 seat meeting room. Player recruitment guys, footy man and paperwork man.. they looked a bit bored as there was NO movement at all - it was deadline day too. I did tell them i had my pen, but they choose to save my feelings and just pretended they hadn't heard me. Doctors room, nutritionist and his room, with charts showing who needed to do what etc.. gym, ice bath room, and then changing room. they players have a games room and then there are other rooms for Malky and David kerslake.

Funny thing happened as a tall blond athletic guy turned up in the other corner of the room with an official looking guy in a suit and we thought 'ooh new signing' - as it was it was David Davies the swimmer who had come to do the 'football golf' for a TV show, along with Nathan Cleverly. both of whom came on the tour with us, and both of whom were really nice guys.

Then down to training which was superb. Lots of small sided drills - the lads who started at Cov didnt join in as they were working in the gym on warming down from Tuesday.

part 2 in a minute as I need to eat. - if you are interested. [/quote]

Part 2.

on walking down to training we spotted a stray football so started doing keepy-ups etc.. which was difficult as is still ad my working boots (steelies) on... until some guy got out of his car and sheepishly asked for his ball back :hehe:

When we got down there the players were doing drills , like when there is a circle of players and they knock passes in and out of it, also timed passing etc..

Gyepes was doing short runs on his own, and when asked how he was feeling (by Keith Cooper) he said 'not too good'. He's carrying a thigh injury and must be pretty miserable right now.

Connelly had gestede doing 3/4 pace sprints and God does he look a classy runner. Criss-crossing a grid he seemed to cover 30-40 yards in no time and wasn't even pushing it.

Connelly then had him playing a 1 v1 game where they set up 2 U shaped half-box of cones about 15 yards form each other and had to pass into the box with the receiver having to control the ball inside the box. This was fascinating, especially with cooper winding Connely up. Connelly won 10-9 which seemed to make his day. Rudi seems a lovely kid, smiling and laughing, but concentrating hard, he must be a pleasure to coach. I picked up one stray ball and passed it back to him, and he showed his manners by thanking me.

The rest of the players were having a 6 v 6 game on a short pitch with full-size goals. Remember the full squad weren't there. It was played at a frantic pace -no wonder our side look so fit. What struck me was the brilliant reflexes of Heaton and Parrish in goals, both pulled off superb saves. Ralls seemed to be loving it -living the dream. It was hard to concentrate as Keith Coops kept throwing crazy questions at us, like which 6 strikers have scored for 6 different prem teams etc.. He's a great laugh and had a fair few interesting tales of his own to tell.

At the end of this the players went off to do the 'soccer golf' thing with David davies and nathan Cleverly for some foty show. We just acted as ball boys, with my moment of glory being to knock the ball through the cameramans legs. Heaton was a dead shot hitting the bar, and Cleverly showed some decent skills. The players seemed to be loving it, with Mcphail looking particularly relaxed and he really seems to be well liked and respected by the others.

After this Malky came over and had a pic taken with us and David Kerslake and asked us if we had some questions. we asked him about team selection and when the players were informed (A day or so before the game, and if there were doubts the cover would also be told). he told us the 'meerkat' story and I droned on to him about the potential and size of the Valleys, he seemed to genuinely enjoy his trips out there and also, both really emphasised how impressed they were with our away support. Particularly in Reading, Malky emphasised that the noise and numbers really did lift the players. he talked about putting a structure in place on the sports science side and also about the play-off final, how he was commentating. i asked him if he would have liked any of the players who left last year and he was cagey -Bellamy obviously, but as for the rest 'I'm happy with the players we've got'. David Kerslake talked about the importnace of a fast start and not allowing the oppo to get on top, and how they were specifically training to times to suit match situations and allow the players to play at a high tempo for 90 mins. Both were easy to talk to and very open. I sense though that Malky won't take any messing he has an imposing air about him.

We then went back to the canteen and had lunch which was great. They have a superb choice so i pigged myself with as much as possible :hehe:

The players left soon after, but not before someone put a sticky note on Connelly's back saying 'I love cock' :hehe:

Cooper was the main suspect, but there were a fair few others who were likelies.

Overall the squad seem relaxed, and happy, any of them we met said hello - they seem to get on and they work hard.

Greta day and I'd honestly say we've got a managerial team and squad to be proud of

Tim, was this your write up? If so sounded like you had a great day, how did get the chance to do it?

Tim, was this your write up? If so sounded like you had a great day, how did get the chance to do it?

they do come around once in a while carl... we did it last season two of us from work , along with four customers...


it was a really enjoyable day....

we received an invite from the club...

Sounds like a great day out well done to you Tim and Cheers for writing it up for us.

Well done to our club as well.

Tim, was this your write up? If so sounded like you had a great day, how did get the chance to do it?

My mate bid for it at the Academy dinner a few months ago, and although we lost out they decided to have 2 days. He asked me, his dad and another mate along. There were another group who had the other day.

It was a real interesting insight, my mate was a very good semi-pro rugby player who had short spells with cardiff and Ponty, he was very jealous of the difference. The facilities are superb. Any player coming in from outside would be sure to be impressed. Nothing left to chance. Imagine how it feels for the likes of Ralls and Gestede dong this for a living.

I commented that I wish i hadn't worked so hard in school. would have been better off down the gym or practising my left foot on the playing field

Sounds like a great day out well done to you Tim and Cheers for writing it up for us.

Well done to our club as well.

Cheers Annis. It really is an excellent experience and makes you appreciate just how much work and planning goes into geting those precious 3 points.

too much name dropping for me 'mower'

Some guys have all the luck

WIggy

too much name dropping for me 'mower'

Some guys have all the luck

WIggy

All mates of yours radio star

Excellent insight. Anyone know why Keith Cooper doesn't do the City phone in on GTFM anymore? It used to be good when he got current or ex-players on the show and they had decent presenters then as well.

Great post that, must have been a great day out for a City fan.