Shrewsbury Town Football Club at Desert Springs


	Dateline:	29th July 2009
	Source:	The Almanzora Group
	Subject:	Warm Weather training at Desert Springs
	Title:	SHREWD SHREWS PROVE THE VALUE OF WARM WEATHER TRAINING AT DESERT SPRINGS

Shrewsbury Town Football Club were so pleased with the results of pre-season warm-weather training for their players at Desert Springs in Spain that they have returned for the second year running – and hope to go back next year as well.

According to the manager of the Coca-Cola Football League Two club, Paul Simpson who has arranged pre-season training in Germany, Norway and Sweden for other clubs in the past, the facilities at Desert Springs are the best.

“The resort has exactly what we need,” he said. “In addition to the fantastic surface of the first international-size quality grass pitch in the Almeria area of Spain, the warm weather is excellent for pre-season training and the opportunity for 19 players and their coaches to spend six days living together strengthens the bond between them.”

Mr Simpson said it was a shrewd move to take The Shrews to Desert Springs last year:“When we returned, the new season got off to a flying start with three consecutive straight wins. That’s why we went back this year.”

Already well-known as a resort specialising in family holidays, Desert Springs is gaining popularity as a centre for warm-weather training for golfers and cricketers, as well as footballers.

ADDITIONAL DETAILS

The football pitch at Desert Springs – Europe’s only international award-winning luxury family resort and championship desert golf course – was inaugurated by Sir Bobby Charlton and Sir Geoff Hurst in 2004. Since then floodlights, shower and changing facilities and a referee changing room have been added.

A new hard standing area provides outside space for facilities such as a free weights gym, stretching mats and a medical area and a new grassed area has been added for goalkeeper training and five-a-side games.

A wide range of resort facilities are available for use by clubs which opt for pre-season training at Desert Springs. Players can make full use of the 18-hole Indiana golf course and enjoy opportunities to swim, play tennis and use the gymnasium, trim trail, jogging tracks, paddle tennis and beach volley ball courts.

They also have access to the resort’s Private Reserve which incorporates a spa, private sauna and jacuzzi suite, personal fitness workout room, games room with bar, and a home cinema.

Accommodation for the players is in the privately-owned apartments, cottages and villas which are available for holidays and short breaks at Desert Springs.

If required the resort’s executive chef can be on hand to cater for the special dietary requirements of individual players dining in the resort’s two restaurants – the award-winning El Torrente and the Croc Restaurant, part of the family-friendly Crocodile Club.

For further information contact: The Almanzora Group
Email: tag@almanzora.com
Telephone: +44 (0) 1242 680 299


	Dateline:	27th January 2009
	Source:	The Almanzora Group
	Subject:	Football Training at Desert Springs
	Title:	Green Shoots in Europe's only Desert Herald expansion of warm weather football training at Spain's Desert Springs

Norwegian football club is the latest to sign up

Expansion of the warm weather football training facilities at Desert Springs in the Almeria region of south-east Spain has attracted a Norwegian football club to book a four-day training camp.

Norway’s second division Bryne Fotballklubb established in 1926 will visit Europe’s only international award-winning luxury family resort and championship desert golf course in March for coaching on the first international-size quality grass pitch in the Almeria area. Since it was inaugurated by Sir Bobby Charlton and Sir Geoff Hurst in 2004, floodlights, shower and changing facilities and a referee changing room have been added.

In response to requests from visiting teams, a new hard standing area provides outside space for facilities such as a free weights gym, stretching mats and a medical area.

This month the first green shoots of newly-sewn dwarf rye grass are gaining strength from Europe’s warmest winter temperatures to provide additional space for goal keeper training and five-a-side games.

The wide range of resort facilities available influenced the decision by Bryne FK to select Desert Springs for its football training camp.

During their stay players will be able to make full use of the 18-hole Indiana golf course and enjoy opportunities to swim, play tennis and use the gymnasium, trim trail, jogging tracks, paddle tennis and beach volley ball courts. They will also have access to the resort’s Private Reserve which incorporates a spa, private sauna and jacuzzi suite, personal fitness workout room, games room with bar, and a home cinema.

Accommodation for the players will be in the privately-owned apartments, cottages and villas which are available for holidays and short breaks at Desert Springs.

The resort’s executive chef will be on hand to cater for the special dietary requirements of individual players dining in the resort’s two restaurants – the award-winning El Torrente and the Croc Restaurant, part of the family-friendly Crocodile Club.

Already well-known as a resort specialising in family holidays, Desert Springs is gaining popularity as a centre for warm-weather training for golfers and cricketers, as well as footballers. For details call +44 (0) 1242 680116.

For further information contact: The Almanzora Group
Email: tag@almanzora.com
Telephone: +44 (0) 1242 680 299

DESERT SPRINGS RESORT & GOLF CLUB

From: Paul Simpson, Shrewsbury Town FC Coach, on the conclusion of their Club’s fist warm weather pre season training camp at Desert Springs.
Date: July 2008

Paul Simpson, Shrewsbury Town FC Coach commented:

“When I arrived at Desert Springs it was a fantastic facility, that was the first thing that struck me. Everything about it looked to me as if it could be perfect for a pre-season training camp, and I have to say being here as well and the work that we have done, we haven’t been disappointed! It’s been excellent in everything they have done for us.

When I came here to view the facilities in May I quickly realised that there was everything here that you could use for pre-season to make the training varied and it has been excellent, it really has. The surface on the football pitch is as good as any that you will get in England and the gym facilities are excellent. There are mountain bikes, there is everything here that you can have a full week, probably even two weeks of varied training, but unfortunately we only had four days!

I think the players have been really surprised with the standard of the accommodation, they are luxury and there is everything in there you could possibly need and there’s the facilities if they wanted to make themselves a drink in the rooms. There are facilities if they had to wash there own kit, everything is there for them and I think they have been very, very pleasantly surprised by it.”

Ben Davis, Shrewsbury Town FC Captain added:

“It’s been a brilliant stay for us; the lads have all absolutely loved it. Training has been really hard but we have got through it all and the facilities have been great for us so it has been a great chance for us to come away and get some team bonding together.

The football pitch is spot on and the way it has been kept over the few days we have been here has been excellent with the heat and everything, and the surface has been ideal for us. With the three sessions it’s needed to be and it has held up very well for us.

The fact that we have been able to train outside has been brilliant for us. We have had three sessions; at seven o’clock in the morning and one as well at night as well as the afternoon one and they have all been spot on and the weather has been lovely and it has helped everyone to get outside and get a tan as well! It makes a difference from it raining always back at home.

Everyone leaves you alone and lets you get on with it, and all the lads stay together and you get no hassle form anyone and you can just concentrate on your training and getting everything together and ready for when you go back for the start of the season.”

Michael Jackson, Shrewsbury Town FC Defender added:

“It has been exactly what we needed. The accommodation, facilities and training pitch has been excellent for what you need for this sort of thing you are trying to achieve. I have been on quite a few trips before and never one as good as this, so it’s been excellent.’

The football pitch has been great, when you are training three times a day it needs to be right and it has. With the weather you get here you would
think it would be absolutely as dry as a bone, but it’s not, it’s been really good and it’s been a pleasure to play on it to be honest.”

Paul Simpson, Shrewsbury Town FC Coach

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