Jonjo Shelvey has criticised the Newcastle training facilities ahead of potential redevelopment in the future.
The midfielder has spoke to the Daily Mail about last week’s takeover, which saw Newcastle become one of the richest clubs in the world.
It signalled the end of the Mike Ashley era, where neglect became a common theme.
The training ground has often been mocked, with images of wheelie bins and paddling pools somehow deemed acceptable for a Premier League club.
Hopefully things are modernised by the new owners, which seems likely considering Amanda Staveley’s comments.
Following the completion of the takeover, Staveley admitted that the training ground is ‘awful’. And it appears Shelvey is in agreement.
“In terms of the set-up, we all know the training-ground facilities are below par when it comes to Premier League standard,” he told the Daily Mail.
“As players we’ve got on with it and we’ve had to deal with that to the best of our ability. The money just hasn’t been there. That was hard to accept.”
Shelvey quotes prove players suffered under Ashley as well as fans
It’s refreshing to see a player speak so honestly about conditions at the club. It also shows that it wasn’t just the fans who suffered during Ashley’s ownership.
The players have had to deal with substandard training facilities for years, but hopefully that will change.
While Ashley was happy to run the club on a shoestring budget with the aim of just keeping it in the Premier League, the new owners want to take Newcastle to the top.
That ambition is incredible. It’s massively appreciated by supporters. And players will no doubt feel the same after years of neglect to their place of work.
Shelvey could return to the first-team for the first game of the new era at Newcastle, having featured for the Under-23s on Monday night.
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