Alright, here we are, people,
we're finally into the new AXA Training Centre.
It's a little quiet round here at the minute because the lads are all away
on international duty, but it means these boys are allowed in the training ground for once,
and I can show you all around the new facilities.
I'm still learning a bit myself, because it's my first day,
but I'll do my best.
Follow me.
Alright, guys, so I'm told that this right here is called 'the atrium',
but I'm not going to overcomplicate things because, to me, it just looks like the entrance!
So let's call this the entrance hall.
When I walked in here this morning, obviously it's the first thing you see,
it's big, it's grand, it's different to what we're used to at Melwood.
This is more like a facility, that was the first thing I thought,
but it gives you the idea and the impression
that this place has got the facilities fit for the champions.
The dressing room, where the boys will be spending the majority of their time in the days.
I'd like to bring you over here quickly, I'm not sure this is going to go down so well,
but as you can see...
..we have Mohamed Salah on the school benches.
Which, knowing the man, he won't be happy about!
But he's gonna have to live with it.
Here we have a space.
Don't know the name of the space, but it's a space, and it's a big one.
Nice little picture here.
It's not little at all, it's massive.
It's a nice little reminder for us that anything's possible.
Probably see Mo and Sadio in here about four hours before training starts,
doing some beast mode stuff.
Big attraction over there, you have the 1,000ft cinema screen.
Again, COVID has pre-empted this, it's because we can't all sit close together
in the usual rooms. Everyone spreads out, massive screen, speakers there,
gaffer with the mic in his hand telling us how we're gonna win the game.
I had my first little session in here today.
This is a lot bigger than we're used to at Melwood,
a lot more modern.
Got a new view onto the pitches, which is nice, especially if you're injured,
being able to see the pitches and see what you're working for.
I think it is deliberate to an extent -
or they're just trying to save money on the energy bill, and the lighting bill.
Where am I going, in here?
This is the first time I've seen this.
And apparently we're in a spa.
The lighting in here is definitely a little bit moody!
I think Mo's had a little chat to someone
and asked for a little bit more Zen around the building,
so he can get himself in here
and do his meditation and relax after a good game, good session.
It's top drawer in here, it really is.
And the pool's heated.
Lovely!
Got the manager's office here.
Frosted windows, very private in there.
You don't spend a lot of time in there, and if you get summoned in there
it takes you to back to being in school when the headmaster calls you to the office.
Sometimes it's good... most of the time, it's not good.
We have the canteen, where the boys will be eating breakfast, lunch, dinner,
whatever the occasion is, whatever we need.
Very modern, very new, but a lot of the same faces round here.
Carol and Caroline are still here.
Caroline's behind us, she's gonna get a bit shy now,
but she still looks after us.
Don't you, Caroline?
Obviously you can eat out on the balcony and see training or whatever,
but you can also see, when you're up here getting your breakfast in,
maybe you're pushing the timings a bit tight,
you can see when the fitness coach is sort of saying, "You need to get a shimmy on",
and you can judge how long you've got left to finish your brekkie.
So the most exciting bit for me now, and I'm sure for all the lads,
is seeing the pitches for the first time.
Think we've got three pitches.
Think they've labelled them A, B and C over the back,
and then a goalkeeper area over there.
Next to the pitches we have...
We'll call it 'the leisure centre'.
If you didn't think it could get any better round here - we also have a beach in Kirkby.
We have the beach volleyball, I think they probably did that for Bobby and Fab,
the Brazilian boys, to get their samba on, you know, home away from home.
If you're wondering what the noise is in the background,
there's still a bit of work going on, lot of guys here working hard,
but we're nearly there now and it's nearly fully complete,
ready for the boys to come back in next week.
But, yeah, my first day, I love it, I hope you enjoy it,
and more importantly, I hope we can all work well together here
to create more good memories.
Thanks for watching, people.