Rudkin praises "first class facilities"

Leicester City academy manager John Rudkin is amongst many within the club who have praised the recently re-opened LCFC Training Facility at Belvoir Drive.

Refurb: Sven Goran Eriksson's office is amongst the rooms renovated at the Foxes' training ground

Amongst the improvements to pitches - including the construction of a state-of-the-art synthetic pitch - every room at the facility has been enhanced with new technology to improve the already well-respected sports science and medical departments. A new lounge for youth team members and their parents has been constructed alongside improvements to the restaurant and changing rooms.

"The whole place has had a major revamp and it will be beneficial right across the club. These are first class facilities and it is terrific when young players see not only the facilities but the standard of delivery and after-care provided by the football club. It is an environment that you would want you children involved in."

Rudkin was quick to praise the investment in the club made by Thai owners Vichai and Aiyawatt Raksriaksorn, the King Power owners showing their commitment through major investment in the playing squad alongside improvements at the King Power Stadium and now Belvoir Drive.

"The investment has been magnificent since they arrived at the football club," Rudkin continued, "They have a real vision for the long term and this is part of it. For us as a football club and academy, we thank them greatly, and also as a city. What we are seeing at a senior level with the investment is very exciting for everyone."

Football director Andrew Neville, whilst curt on the exact cost of the training facility's refurbishment, praised the work done at the training ground and the new "Premier League facilities" on offer.

"We felt left behind a little bit over the last few years. We have certainly felt the facility had become a bit tired so we put a proposal to the owners to improve the facility and they have bought into it," he said in an interview with the Leicester Mercury, "They have invested significantly here in terms of the pitches, the artificial pitch, the offices and medical facilities here, and all the fitness facilities."

For the time being the improvements to Belvoir Drive will quell rumours that spoke of a move away from the Aylestone site to a greenfield location and Neville hopes that with first-class facilities will come top flight football.

"This is a massive improvement and we feel we are up to a level now where, while we are probably not on the same level as the top Premier League clubs, we are at a Premier League level we want to be at and maintain."