Oftentimes, football clubs get the most attention for their performances on the pitch and less so for the things that go on behind the scenes, such as their training and fitness facilities.
However, such infrastructure and ecosystems are key to a club’s performance and also to the sustainability of the team.
On Thursday (28 Jul), Lion City Sailors (LCS) – previously known as Home United – unveiled their new S$10 million state-of-the-art training centre in MacPherson.
The first of its kind in Singapore, the integrated training facility houses physiotherapy rooms, a gym, and an analysis room to develop and look after players in a holistic manner.
Inspired by the “best practices” of European football clubs, the new LCS training centre aims to support and develop its players on and off the pitch.
To enable that, the facility along Mattar Road boasts a host of resources to meet players’ different needs.
Stepping foot into the training facility, visitors will spot five vast football pitches, each with a different set of features.
Image courtesy of Lion City Sailors Football Club
The iconic colourful blocks which are synonymous with MacPherson serve as the backdrop to the pitches, adding a nice touch of heartland vibes to the modern facility.
Behind the glass panels surrounding the pitches are a number of facilities aimed at bringing out the best from its players.
The video analytics room, for example, allows coaching staff or players to revisit gameplay footage, so they can look out for things that they did well in or areas for improvement.
Across the walkway is the first team’s physiotherapy room, where players can receive treatment for some of their niggling injuries.
The training facility also houses an indoor gym where players can work out or condition their bodies.
The gym follows an open concept, with considerably fewer fitness machinery than commercial gyms. This apparently allows the fitness trainers to conduct a larger variety of activities in the vacant space.
Image courtesy of Lion City Sailors Football Club
Arguably the most picturesque area is the dressing room, which lights up with the club’s colours — blue and white.
The first-team players each have their own space in the locker room, according to their kit numbers.
Besides the first team, the training academy also accommodates younger footballers in the Football School and Football Academy.
Open to all children, the Football School allows young ones to engage in the sport as an after-school activity in the sun with friends.
From there, the club will offer scholarships to train in the Football Academy, which will grant them access to LCS’ facilities and expertise.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the training facility, Forrest Li – Chairman of Lion City Sailors and founder of Sea Limited – said he hopes graduates of the club’s Academy will join the LCS First Team squad.
Image courtesy of Lion City Sailors Football Club
However, the ambition doesn’t end there, as Mr Li shared his hopes for some of the young players who make it through their pipeline to join other local teams or even other clubs in Europe.
Also making an appearance at the opening was Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong.
In his speech, Mr Tong underscored the importance of developing football talents from a young age.
In particular, the minister was heartened by LCS’ commitment to developing young footballers on and off the pitch.
Acknowledging that football has a “special place in all our hearts”, Mr Tong said the Government remains committed to developing and promoting sports, which has the potential to inspire and unite Singaporeans.
Our hearty congratulations go out to LCS for the opening of their new training centre.
Besides lifting its existing squad of footballers to greater heights, we hope the facility will go a long way in nurturing more young, local talents in the coming years.
With facilities like this, we also hope the standard of football in Singapore will rise to match the enthusiasm of those who love the sports here.
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Featured image by MS News.
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