FABIO CAPELLO WC Shock

[Swanny]

World Cup 2010: England's World Cup base still very much work in progress

Fabio Capello will today discover at first hand the magnitude of the construction work required to ensure that England's £20 million World Cup base is fit for purpose when his squad arrive in South Africa in 102 days' time.



By Mark Ogden in Rustenburg
Published: 7:45AM GMT 22 Feb 2010



Work in progress: the Royal Bafokeng Sports Campus


Capello was due to fly into Johannesburg on Monday morning to attend a Fifa coaches workshop in Sun City, but the Italian is also set to stay at the Royal Bafokeng Sports Campus which England have booked as their training camp for the World Cup this summer.
And although regular briefings to ensure he has been kept informed of the slow progress at the complex will ease the shock for Capello when he arrives today, he will be met with a landscape more suited to a scene from Auf Wiedersehen, Pet than a multi-million-pound training camp.


Capello is unlikely to be heartened by the quality of the pitches, which remain some way short of the grade-A standard demanded by the England manager.
As the accompanying pictures show, the training pitches are anything but the lush, green surfaces expected by England's players.
And the half-built clubhouse, which is due to provide a state-of-the-art medical centre, changing rooms for the players and a media centre, appears some way off being ready for the arrival of Capello's squad on June 4.
The training HQ, chosen because of its location at altitude, should have been ready last November and the failure to progress at the anticipated speed led to Capello voicing his concerns a month later.
Internally, the accommodation quarters and dining area which could be home to Capello and his squad for five weeks are five-star standard, with boutique-style furniture complementing plasma television screens and a well-stocked wine room. Capello will also be able to hold court in a specially designed conference room with desks for his players.
But with just over three months until the squad are due to arrive at the 150-acre site based just six miles from Rustenburg's Royal Bafokeng Stadium where England open their campaign against the United States, the worrying state of progress of the essentials – the pitches and medical facilities – will hardly impress a man noted for his strict attention to detail.
And he will have to endure a bone-shaking 10km stretch of the half-complete R565 road between Sun City and Rustenburg before he arrives at the venue today.
When the World Cup is over, the complex will become a luxury sports retreat, with half of the building set aside for the King of the Royal Bafokeng nation, the wealthiest tribe in South Africa.
An Olympic-size swimming pool is due to be added before England arrive, and Wayne Rooney and co could also be tempted by the quad bikes that have been ordered by the complex.
Despite the work that remains to be done, both the Football Association and complex managers are confident that the project will be signed off before June 4.
Riian Welman, front house manager, said: "They [the workers] are pushing it forward. We can do a room in half a day and a lot of those rooms have equipment ready to go in now."
The training ground's isolated location would suggest that security will be a key issue, but again, Welman dismisses fears on that front. He said: "There will be local firms and police. There is more chance of a man falling pregnant than getting in here.
"People will always try, but it's a matter of how you deal with it, which our experts know."
But don’t worry, the Germans will feel at home
Germany
The Germans have snared the five-star Velmore Hotel & Spa in Pretoria, much to the annoyance of hosts South Africa. Building was completed in November.
France
Despite most major nations basing themselves at altitude, the French have chosen the purpose-built Pezula complex near Cape Town.
Spain
The European champions will be based at the University in Potchefstroom. Kelly Holmes trained there before her double Olympic triumph in 2004.
Italy
The world champions will return to their base for last year’s Confederations Cup — Southdowns College in Gauteng Province — as they bid to retain the World Cup.
US
The Americans had been keen to train at Royal Bafokeng, but they will instead base themselves at Pretoria’s Pilditch Stadium, while staying at the plush Irene Country Lodge.
To rent . . . suits a team of builders
When Fabio Capello visits the Royal Bafokeng Sports Campus this week, he might want to consult the original brochure that persuaded England to plump for the £20 million site. “Would suit a handyman” might be appropriate for the complex (above). The pitches certainly have a “rustic charm” while the car park is in need of some renovation









http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/foo...-progress.html
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[SAspursfan]

From what i understand the hotel complex is just about finished. It is the training facilities and pitches they are still working on.

This is a very difficult time for workers this time of year because we are in the height of summer and can be sweltering, it should start cooling down from next month and then the work pace will pick up dramatically.

I might add it was the most sort after venue for teams and is considered the plum venue as it will have (if i remember rightly 10 training pitches, all laid with international standard turf)

It has 5 star accommodation with huge mirrors everywhere, so at least Beckham will be pleased. (It was built as a holiday accommodation for THE Bafokeng King with no expense spared.)

it will have the most modern of clubhouses and Clinic.

And is only a few kilometres to Sun City Casino and Lost city for the wags.

[contrast]

Mr Capello has banned our wags!!

[SirBillyNick]

On Sky News last night they did a tour of the whole complex, is very much finished and looks fantastic. The pitches at the complex have just been given an A rating by FIFA which means they're as good as the pitches we'll be playing on in the tournament

[EliteKiller]

Most things in South Africa are finished and look great, the infrastructure make lack a bit but the facilities are fine. Still won't be going as the crime threat is unbelievably high. Not a place to behave like a typical football fan ........