Top facilities and environment will be Mark of the club
MARK ALLEN believes Rangers will be operating in elite environments at Ibrox and the Hummel Training Centre once a series of off-field renovations have been completed.
The Light Blues have spent significant sums behind the scenes following the appointment of Steven Gerrard as manager in the summer.
A new pitch has been laid at their Milngavie base, while gym and catering facilities have also been overhauled for the benefit of the Light Blues squad.
Allen told SportTimes: “We are looking out on a brand new football pitch that would rank amongst the best in the country in terms of the hybrid nature and it allows us to train every single day. It has the benefit of undersoil heating.
“I think we have got a facility here that will rival any in the country. When you start to go into the realms of Manchester City, that is a different level again and I don’t think it is fair to compare that with anything.
“I have said that environment is a really important thing because your environment tells you a lot about the type of football club that you are. What I have been privileged to be involved with in the past is an environment of excellence and that is what we are striving for here.
“I think the great thing is that all of us know what good looks like.
“So we know the standards we are trying to attain and that is a massive driver. That standard becomes the norm, and that is where we have got to get to.”
The Gers board have spent big to upgrade Ibrox in a bid to bring the stadium back up to scratch following years of neglect by previous regimes.
Now Director of Football Allen is keen to see other touches put in place that will further enhance the matchday experience for Gerrard and his players. He said: “I think it is really important to say that the fabric of Ibrox is special, so we are not looking to change that.
“What we are looking at internally is an area that is going to be dedicated as a Player’s Lounge, with a meeting room for pre-game, a dining area for the players and a small gym area for pre-activation prior to matches.
“And we are going to move the Manager’s Office closer to the first team dressing room so that he is alongside it. We will make that a sterile area, if you like, so that the players can focus and get ready for matches.
“That is more about the environment and the setting as opposed to trying to change anything about the fabric of Ibrox, which I would never want to do because it is a very special place.
“It will play a part in the overall running and environment of the football club so whether we are training or whether we are at Ibrox, whether it is pre-season trips or preparing for a match, there is a level of expectation that says ‘we give the best, we expect the best’.”