Sabri Lamouchi has said Cardiff City's plans to plough ahead with the construction of a new training ground for their first team is welcome and positive news.
The club reported an operating loss of £29million in their annual accounts for the 2021/22 season, noting once again a heavy reliance on the principal, owner Vincent Tan.
While the accounts, overall, painted a pretty bleak financial picture, with losses and debts both growing, it was heartening for supporters to see strides being taken to futureproofing the club.
Non-executive chairman Mehmet Dalman outlined the club's two big infrastructure projects which are both due for completion in the coming years.
As well as the new academy site, which is flying up in Llanrumney, Dalman also detailed plans for a new first-team training base to be constructed near the club's current base at the Vale Resort in the Vale of Glamorgan.
"We are continuing to build the infrastructure of the club to ensure that we achieve our aim of promotion back to the Premier League and then we must ensure that we retain our status for the foreseeable future and break away from the vicious cycle of promotion and relegation," Dalman said.
"To that end, two projects are currently under way in building that infrastructure.
"Firstly, the development of a new academy training complex in the east of Cardiff, which is expected to come in stream for the start of the 2023/24 season. This will build on the success of the last couple of years of players graduating from the academy to become integral members of the first team.
"Secondly, the construction of a new first-team training base a short distance from our current base, but one that will be wholly and exclusively for the use of the club. While this is in the preliminary stages and negotiation for a 150-year lease over the proposed new training base (have begun), current forecasts are that this will become operational in time for the 2025/26 season."
The idea of Cardiff owning their own training ground has been mooted for a decade or perhaps more. At present, Cardiff pay a big rent fee to use the facilities, alongside other sporting bodies such as the Welsh Rugby Union and the Football Association of Wales.
And Bluebirds manager Lamouchi believes that a club the size of Cardiff should indeed have their own training facilities. Despite the club facing a harsh financial reality, the Frenchman believes that Tan and the board investing and planning for the future is a good sign.
"It's always positive when you try to build the infrastructure of the club," Lamouchi said of the potential plans to start building a new training site.
"So, my question is just, why now and not before? Because a club like Cardiff needs, absolutely, a decent infrastructure.
"We are working in a good infrastructure, but we are not at home.
"We are in the best place, with good people, we are sharing some pitches — we are today in the stadium because we cannot train in our training ground, because of the snow — but it is always positive when you invest in an academy, in the youngsters, in the infrastructure, in the training camp.
"It's not a bad a bad investment, it's the opposite. It's looking to the future."
Cardiff captain Joe Ralls shared his manager's views, with the two projects helping both the current crop of players and the next generation coming through.
"It's great to see that we are looking towards the future, to try to improve things here," Ralls added.
"The facilities, we have been happy with academy players coming through over the last few years, it's been great to see. A lot of local lads coming through the system here.
"Hopefully that can continue, because providing the best facilities for our young players is always going to be a positive.
"It's obviously great news and, if we get a training ground, we'd be more than happy as well! It's great to see the club are looking to the future."
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