Leicester City unveiled new £100m state-of-the-art 185-acre training complex at Seagrave last week; Brendan Rodgers: "It makes a huge sway on players who are looking at you"; watch Newcastle v Leicester on Sky Sports Premier League and Main Event from 2pm on Sunday
Monday 28 December 2020 08:50, UK
Brendan Rodgers has talked up the value of Leicester's new training ground, suggesting it can help the Foxes attract elite players.
Leicester unveiled their new £100m state-of-the-art 185-acre training complex at Seagrave last week which boasts 21 training areas, including 14 full-size pitches and a 499-seater show pitch for youth team games.
When asked about the impact the new facilities can have on Leicester following their Boxing Day 2-2 draw against Manchester United, Rodgers said it could help the Foxes attract the highest calibre of player in the transfer market.
"Players, especially the elite players, they know what it takes to operate at the highest level," Rodgers said. "A big part of the modern game is the sport science, if you have the facilities and the medical (resources) it can make a big difference.
"(The day after the game) we can go and recover the players to the maximum level, we could not do that in our old training facility. We did the best we could but now we can do whatever it takes to create a programme which is as elite as possible.
"It makes a huge sway on players who are looking at you."
Axel Tuanzebe's own goal earned Leicester a draw with United to ensure they remain above Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side in third spot.
The Foxes have now been in and around the top four in the Premier League for the best part of 18 months, and Rodgers believes the club's ability to punch above their weight is down to the working culture his squad and staff have bought into.
"Since we have started to work together, we have been clear. We have created a set of values that allows us to work well everyday and create a way of playing where the players are comfortable and can show their personality," Rodgers said.
"We don't have that financial resource of others but we still want to be competitive. That can be from training, setting standards and having the want and ability to improve.
"We are constantly pushing and they really buy in to what we are doing. They have consistently proven it."
