Makeover for training HQ

Chris Bailey

June 14, 2005

CITY boss Stuart Pearce and chief executive Alistair Mackintosh are masterminding an overhaul of City's multi-million pound training headquarters at Carrington.

Pearce indicated that he wanted things changed around, and Mackintosh and the board have complied with those wishes.

Pitches have been re-seeded and there is an extensive building programme taking place.

Mackintosh said: "Stuart uses technology a lot, in terms of both coaching players and analysing the opposition, and he wanted a dedicated video room where the squad could assemble and prepare as professionally as possible.

"Stuart is an inspirational figure, and that kind of enthusiasm is running through the club.

"Although we missed out on qualification for Europe when we didn't beat Middlesbrough on the last day, there was no lasting sense of disappointment. There was a positive feeling that we had achieved a decent finishing position of eighth in the table, and that the last few games under Stuart had produced fine results and an awesome response from our fans.

"We have all been filled with optimism for the future, and that is showing in the day-to-day workings of the club."

What is your assessment of Pearce's all-round impact so far? Have your say.

| Submit Comments | Comments (13) |

Showing comments 1 to 13 and replies | View All

Mark, Beswick (14/06/2005 at 11:00)

SP has made a fantastic start. His enthusiasm is there for everyone to see and he looks to be gettin the best out of players. We'll have to see what he's like when the chips are down (which for city it will invariably come during a season!)

Joel, Bath (14/06/2005 at 11:11)

Why wasn't there a video room before? its hardly a new idea. i always suspected that city had little preperation before matches under KK. But its nice to see something came out of that meeting that was productive! Now for the transfers...

Pie in the Sky, Audenshaw (14/06/2005 at 12:56)

I asume that we will start to use this "tracking" software/video system that Bolton (and other teams) have been using for years. It's one of the reasons that Bolton have improved so much over the last couple of years. It's about time we started to move into the 21st Century. Well done (again) SP.

Jim, Furness Vale (14/06/2005 at 13:07)

SP is certainly moving City in the right direction, however even SP needs a bit of money to spend in the transfer market. KK was given far too much money to spend but now the opposite is happening to SP and he is being given no money whatsoever. There has to be a compromise and a certain amount should be made available each season. We don't need to go mad but quality players cost money. If we don't have success on the pitch then the merchandising and corporate entertainment revenues will decline. If all the teams around us are strengthening and we don't then SP will have to perform miracles again to keep us in mid-table, instead of challenging for a European place. MCFC reported an increase in profits in the corporate sector of six million pounds yesterday so where is this money going. The debt is suppose to be serviceable so why isn't it going down ? Does Wardle want to look for a buyer for City or is he really happy in charge ? When Wardle and Makin sold up JD do they now want to sell up at City and retire ?

mark, chesterfield (14/06/2005 at 13:27)

How is this going to benefit city?. Shouldn't the money be spent on strengthening the squad, which we so desperately need.

craig, chadderton (14/06/2005 at 13:38)

Oh waht a story.... arnt all pitches re seeded every year, i run a kids team and our pitches are re seeded right now... and as for the other thing its hardley major work a extention room so we can actualy fit in proper preperation, hardly gunna cost millions, ie B#50K maybe.... can we have proper news. and maybe some truth from the city board, how about haveing a interview with alister or John

mr serious, here (14/06/2005 at 13:51)

I've got the entire Thunderbirds collection on video if the lads want to borrow it. Have they got surround-sound?

SoulboyFTR, Love City (14/06/2005 at 14:42)

So we finally get to find out what Mackintosh does to justify his B#250,000 a year bung from the club... he checks that the grass is being seeded and that the video recorder is plugged in! Lawks alordy, while this man penny pinches in every corner of the club, and he's raking in a cool quarter of a mill each year, his main task seems to have been forgotten about. Or was the video bought from some Russian billionaire investors, and that's why he's flying around the world at our expense! I saw a programme about how MG went down the pan... and all the directors had their snouts in the trough while the workforce were forced to tighten their belts. Remind you of any other organisation? Are we stooping so low that we crow about raising a few bob from transfer sell-ons and try to portray the Chief Exec as some thrusting power-broker down at the training ground spreading those seeds! He'd be much better employed coming clean about the debt levels at the club, 'cos word is that not only aren't they getting better, but when the accounts come out they might even be worse! Roll on the AGM, and time for the board to get the tin hats on again! Swales Out!

Dave, Knutsford (14/06/2005 at 18:59)

Anther rubbish report from he EN. I don't need them to tell me that pitches are re-seeded in summer.Anyone that's played the game knows that just as anyone that watched the 2 games against Groclin in the UEFA cup knows that we don't analyse the oppostion before we meet them. Add Oldham this year in the FA cup to that.

David wHollinshead, Belgium -via Sweden ex Ladybarn (14/06/2005 at 19:59)

Smokescreen.

Ray, Bristol (15/06/2005 at 08:01)

Mackintosh is being quoted alot at the moment. Is Wardle on holiday (something SP could now be enjoying if he had any real support from the board) or is Mackintosh trying to justify his salary despite the fact he has yet to deliver any alternative funding for the Club?

anon, Manchester (19/06/2005 at 23:15)

SoulboyFTR - You know absolutely nothing about what the staff do at City do you? Do you think Alisair Mackintosh just checks on the pitches??!!

Every single person in that club is working their socks off and don't need criticism from people like you.

SoulboyFTR, Love City (20/06/2005 at 09:44)

Dear anon... nice to hear someone defend Ali Mac's contribution at City. The fact that he's on a cool quarter of a mill a year would suggest that the least he should be doing is "working his socks off", cos there are a lot of people at City doing the same but being paid a lot less. His job is to make us finacially stable... is a debt of B#62m evidence of his success at that? He was supposed to bring in new investors (read his job description at the time when he took over as Chief Exec), and to date... zilch! So what exactly is it that he does that warrants the fat fee? Do you know of any CEO that sorts out dressing rooms? Course not... they're all better employed raising finance, clearing debts and sorting out customer satisfaction... So again I ask you anon, is he good at ANY of these things? A liitle evidence would be appreciated in any response. I wait with bated breath...

()

Report

Manchester City