Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s ambitious vision was praised yesterday as Manchester City unveiled their stunning new £200 million (Dh1.15bn) academy.
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The state-of-the-art venue, for youth development and first-team training, has been built on 80 acres adjacent to the Etihad Stadium and marked the culmination of a six-year plan after coming under Abu Dhabi ownership.
Club legends, including former manager Tony Book and Colin Bell, were joined at the ceremony by current boss Manuel Pellegrini and skipper Vincent Kompany and Elite Development Squad coach Patrick Vieira. And in marking the momentous occasion, chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak revealed the long-term ambition and commitment of the man at the heart of it all.
“At the outset of his ownership, back in Autumn 2008, His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, deputy prime minister and minister of presidential affairs, set out his vision for the future of Manchester City Football Club.
“He pledged to bring success on the field and to nurture young talent whilst at the same time remaining proudly rooted to the community in which it resided.
“The cornerstone of the future, was a vision for youth development and sustainability; a vision to educate talented young footballers on and off the pitch and to do so in a facility supported by the best coaches and coaching programmes.
“The vision was underpinned by an unwavering commitment to the regeneration of the local area in both economic and environmental terms.
“Today marks the end of six years of extensive research, development and construction involving many, many people. It also marks the beginning of a responsibility to deliver against the opportunities that this Academy now creates for us. CFA is not important for what it is, it is fundamentally important for what it will now do.”
And with an ominous warning to their rivals as City look to create stars for the future, and also expand further on the development known as the Etihad Campus, he added: “It’s not the end of the journey but an important staging point.”
That was also the view from World Cup winner Vieira as he believes the Academy will attract the best young talent locally and further afield.
After all, according to City defender Pablo Zabaleta, even Lionel Messi was impressed when he visited with the Argentina squad for last month’s friendly with Portugal.
Vieira added: “When we started training here with the boys I looked around and said ‘how amazing’. I think this is one of the best, if not the best, facilities in the world.
“If we go into the market and we compete to bring young players or first team players in, having a facility like this can only help.
“When you are a young, talented player from Manchester – or worldwide – you want the best possible facilities to challenge and improve yourself, and the club that will give you the best chance because at that age you dream about being a first-team player. I think when you look at these facilities that will be an easy choice.
“Arsenal was really good, Inter was really good, but I think this training facility takes it to a different level.”
The complex is connected to the Etihad Stadium by bridge and houses all of the club’s teams, from age-group sides to men’s and women’s senior squads. The first team will stay on site the night before home matches, while Vieira’s elite development squad team and Manchester City Women will play at an integrated 7,000-capacity stadium.