If yesterday felt like 48 hours, today felt like 96. What an incredible, incredible day. So much fun! Last night was more of a normal hotel night for us...air conditioning, normal Hilton comfy beds (still no top sheet though...Europeans don't do top sheets.)...could have been Atlanta or Orlando - if not for being surrounded by all things football, and being right next to the nicest fields I have ever seen. We were up early and ate a traditional English breakfast. They had normal breakfast stuff, but also had mushrooms, baked beans, 1/2 broiled tomatoes, and hash brown cakes. Love!! They also had smoothie shots which the boys loved!
Then it was off to training!
We started with a tour of the inside of the St. George Park training facility led by a couple of the coaches that work with the youth teams. We ran into some coaches who were working on badges and some athletes who were having performance tests and a few teams who were practicing on the pitch.
We did get our own training room! Not going to lie, it was pretty cool!
The guides discussed how the changing rooms were set up as exact replicas of the ones at Wembley Stadium. It was interesting to hear about how the skipper gets to pick his spot first and then the team fills in by position around him. He also has control over the TV and the music. The training room also included two walk-in ice baths! Zoe! You would have wanted to try them out!
Next they took us to their futsol arena, where all levels train.
Then on to the indoor pitch. There is video on the Florida Elite Facebook page of the boys walking down the hall into the facility. It was pretty awe-inspiring. There was a group of boys playing and you could tell how eager ours were to touch a ball. The fields made you want to play!
Right next to the indoor field was a small track...that a few groups raced on. I'm pretty sure Tomas won his race in slides.
Next it was on to the Sir Bobby Charlton Pitch. This field is a replica of Wembley - down to the artificial fiber sheet that the regular grass grows around. It allows the pitch to move or shift slightly to protect the players joints. Amazing.
Then it was on to explore the weight room.
By this point, the boys were literally twitching. They needed to play some football. Off they went!
It was a different training session than they are used to...tour guide Jamie even got in on the fun and acted as goalie during the scrimmage.
Behind the scenes look at taking a team picture. Even after all these pictures they still moan and groan when we make them pose. And still need to hear that we want to see everyone's face. Oye. Pictures make me look forward to the first cider or beer of the evening a little bit more. They've got lots of phones to smile for!
With the English National Training Center Staff.
This is Bender in his England jersey with Harry Kane - and a whole wall of cleat studs!
Then it was on the bus...without showers...it is really starting to smell. Laundry tomorrow! It wasn't a long trip - 2 or so hours with a stop for lunch. KFC, Subway, Burger King and a fun little grocery with all kinds of sandwiches and salads were the options. Again, way nicer than an American stop, but closer to what we are used to. Of course there was a Starbucks...they might have more than we do! And of course our boys enjoyed them!
Back on the bus and off again for our Old Trafford, Manchester United tour.
Zack took a pic with his rents.
The boys got to spend some time in the media room. This is where the new signings used to take place, but they have outgrown this room. Now signings take place at their training facility.
Maybe my favorite picture that we've taken so far.
Back on the bus, then off at Sainsbury's - which Jamie described as a Wal-Mart equivalent...maybe Super Target! There was a cafe upstairs and the boys were supposed to grab something to eat.
Unfortunately, shortly after this picture, this crew got kicked out of the cafe. They bought food downstairs in the supermarket and brought it up the cafe, rather than buying something from the cafe. Apparently, this is strictly forbidden. Security followed them out of the cafe and out the door. Bwahahaha! Those trouble makers.
Off for a walk to the Preston North End FC stadium, Deepdale.
It was a great game, final score 3-2. Tons of exciting scoring opportunities and saves. The boys had fun watching "their" player. Unfortunately Preston lost. But it was awesome learning their chants and cheers and being a fan!
This is called a beefy drink. Jamie got one at the stadium. Usually you drink it with your meat pie. It comes in a coffee cup and is like beef soup!
Right before we arrived at the Queens Hotel, the meat pies from the game came back to haunt us. Oh my stars y'all. We still don't know who dealt it, but everyone smelt it. When I say that it woke up everyone on the bus that was sleeping, I am not exaggerating. At all. Just keeping it real - bringing you along for the whole trip.
The hotel that we are in has a history. Chester is the most haunted city in the UK. There are many stories of ghosts being spotted. Our hotel has it's own history - go ahead and google for the stories. The boys did their own googling and walked in expecting spooky. It's grand. The eyes on the portraits do seem to follow you, and it's like a maze of rooms and halls and nooks and crannies, but it's also beautiful and such a fun, different hotel. Not something you'd find in Orlando or Atlanta.
After the boys headed to their rooms, Lynn and I headed to the restaurant bar and had a well-deserved cider. The group of adults on this tour is absolutely amazing. The group at the bar last night laughed until we cried, many, many times.
On a different note, Zoe was back at the gym for the first time in three weeks. She trained and conditioned as a guest gymnast in Hilton Head, but it was her first time back at Starlight. She said it was tough and rough and she is going to be sore. But she was glad to be back with her girls and her coaches and in her second home. I'll end the blog with two of my favs...Love you girls.
Cheers y'all!
Great recap!
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