By David Gold
October 3 – Plans have been handed to Newport Council for a new multi-million pound National Football Centre in Wales after the Newport International Sports Village was named as the chosen site of the proposed new venue.
The new centre is planned to include a new office building, an upgrade of the existing artificial turf at the site, and the erection of fencing, floodlighting, stands and renovating car parking.
The Football Association of Wales (FAW), in conjunction with the Welsh Football Trust, have submitted the proposal for a “state of the art, purpose built facility providing top class training, playing, sports science and education facilities”.
The new pitch would be available to the public and local football club, with a new premium grass pitch for use by the national football team.
Administrative staff involved in coaching and development would also be located at the site, which will cost up to £5 million ($7.8 million/€5.8 million), according to FAW chief executive Jonathan Ford.
The new venue is “essential”, according to Wales boss Gary Speed, who said earlier this year that it was crucial for the creation of a football identity.
“We are a small nation and we need to develop our way of playing to ensure our success in the future,” he said.
“When players come here at an early age, hopefully they get a taste of that identity and hopefully they can develop the Welsh way of playing.”
Wales have not qualified for a major international football tournament since the 1958 World Cup, and currently sit bottom of their European Championship qualifying group for the 2012 finals.
The site already is home to a velodrome and an indoor cricket and tennis centre, and Newport’s planning committee will meet to discuss the proposal later this year.
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