Football General Manager
- Dalot says there are "no excuses" after Carrington revamp
- Ratcliffe hails "world class" £50m training ground
- Upgraded facilities include sleep pods and Formula 1 simulator
United‘s first-team facility at Carrington reopened on Friday following a £50m rebuild that began last year. The modernised complex features a high-altitude chamber, sleep pods, a padel court, a Formula 1 simulator and even a barber’s room. Originally opened in 2000, the building has been redesigned to meet the highest performance and recovery standards in football.
Speaking at the opening, Dalot said: “Ultimately, we’re talking about our second home, which is where we spend the most time after our personal homes with our families. So I think you should be able to feel good once you come in. I think these facilities right now are exactly what we thought it would be and even better. We adapted really quick because there was no time for us to almost think about it because we had so many games to play, so many things to concern.
“But like Sir Jim said today, obviously it’s not the perfect conditions that you could have to do a season with so many games and so many difficulties like we had last season. But also the big thing that I like the most is now there’s going to be no excuses.
“It’s what we’re going to do on the pitch that obviously will determine what we do and where we put the club back on top because you’re going to have everything that you need to be in your best shape mentally and physically.”
The upgrade comes after Cristiano Ronaldo publicly criticised United’s outdated facilities during his second stint, claiming ‘nothing changed’ in over a decade. Dalot, responding to those remarks, said Ronaldo ‘would love’ the transformation and credited Ratcliffe and INEOS for delivering it.
He added: “I’m sure he would love it if he would be able to see it. But overall, I think the message was clear that this club deserved even more and all credit to Sir Jim and his team.”
The Red Devils will now look to translate their state-of-the-art surroundings into tangible success on the field. Manager Ruben Amorim and his squad head into the new campaign with expectations high and pressure to end the club’s recent trophy drought. For Dalot and his teammates, the message is clear – results must reflect the investment.
