09 Jul 2018
Eddie Howe is hoping that a combination of hard work and team bonding at Spain's La Manga Club can help AFC Bournemouth make a flying start to the new season in what he believes will be an “invaluable experience” for his players.
The Cherries manager and his first-team squad will fly out to Murcia this week for 11 days' intensive training in the Spanish sun as they step up preparations for their fourth campaign in the Premier League.
Traditionally slow out of the blocks, Bournemouth recovered from a poor start for the third year running to finish 12th in the table last season, and Howe believes the warm-weather break will put his squad in great shape physically and mentally for the season ahead, which begins at home to newly-promoted Cardiff City on August 12.
“There will be a lot of football work, physical work in the gym, double sessions and triple sessions,” said Howe.
“There will be the usual pre-season things you would expect. But there will be other things as well, which will test the players in different ways away from the pitch and help bond them together.
“It's very important to settle the group down and get to know what to expect of each other during a tough season, so it's an invaluable experience for us.”
Howe is relishing his first visit to La Manga Club and the chance to put his players through their paces using the resort's world-class facilities, which include eight FIFA-approved grass pitches.
As well as training at the five-star resort, Bournemouth will also play two high-profile friendlies against La Liga sides Sevilla – Champions League quarter-finalists last season – and Levante, and Howe believes the Spanish break will be of huge benefit to his side's prospects this season.
He added: “This will be my first trip to La Manga Club but I know several people who have been previously, and my staff went out there earlier in the summer to fully look at everything and make sure that it was the place we wanted to be this summer.
“Facilities-wise, I don't think there is anywhere better. There is a huge array of things for us to do, to challenge the players in different ways, which we will of course do.
“We also have two great friendlies out there, really tough tests, so we are looking forward to those games. “The main thing, though, is that the pitches and the football work will be of the highest quality.”
With extensive sports and leisure facilities, La Manga Club's global reputation as a first-choice destination for a football training break is well deserved.
Scottish sides St. Mirren and Kilmarnock League Two outfit Doncaster Rovers have already enjoyed pre-season training camps at the resort this summer while the Chelsea, Everton and Southampton under-23 squads and Chelsea's all-conquering under-18 will also train at the venue later this month.
La Manga Club opened a new Chelsea FC Foundation Soccer School – the first of its kind in Spain – earlier this year while other facilities include three 18-hole golf courses, a 28-court tennis centre and a 2,000sqm Wellness Centre. In addition, the resort offers the choice of a five-star hotel, four-star serviced apartments and townhouses and more than 15 bars and restaurants.
ENDS
Information for journalists
Press release written and distributed on behalf of La Manga Club by Azalea.
About La Manga Club
Located in a magnificent natural environment next to Calblanque National Park and the Mediterranean Sea, with a mild year-round climate and enjoying exceptional security and privacy, the exclusive resort of La Manga Club (Los Belones, Cartagena, Murcia) offers luxury, leisure and sport in the same place, and is set just 20 minutes from Murcia airport and an hour away from Alicante.
Founded in 1972, the resort now covers an area of 566 hectares containing accommodation, professional sports facilities, relaxation zones, first-class redevelopment and a private community of 2,300 residents, in a region which boasts more than 350 days' of sun and is surrounded by natural parks and untouched beaches.
La Manga Club's extensive facilities include:
- A five-star hotel: Hotel Príncipe Felipe 5*
- Tourist apartments: Las Lomas Village 4*
- Luxury villas- Three 18-hole golf courses
- A 28-court tennis centre- Eight FIFA-sized football pitches
- 2,000m2 Wellness Centre
- The resort's famous La Cala beach and restaurant, overlooking the Mediterranean
- More than 15 bars and restaurants
Additionally, there is the opportunity to rent a property, purchase a plot of land or buy any of the villas already available that have been built on the complex, and benefit from the services and commodities that a five-star hotel has to offer, such as the sports facilities on the resort. With the variety of activities and facilities available, La Manga Club has firmly established itself as one of the best sports and leisure destination resorts in Europe, and has been the proud recipient of a host of prestigious international awards and accolades over the last four decades.
• High-resolution images of La Manga Club may be downloaded for editorial purposes from https://goo.gl/oi837y
For more information on La Manga Club contact Pete Simm on 01730 711920 or email petes@theazaleagroup.com
