Ten facts about Wayne Rooney's destination - Nike World
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Your support makes all the difference.When Manchester United assistant manager Mike Phelan revealed this morning that Wayne Rooney was heading to Nike Town, he was actually incorrect.
The place where Rooney will fly to tomorrow for a week's intensive conditioning work is the Nike World Campus, just outside Beaverton in Oregon.
Even for someone used to the state-of-the-art facilities at United's Carrington training HQ, Rooney is bound to be impressed by what he finds. Here, Press Association Sport lists 10 facts about the striker's latest destination.
- Nike World is the HQ to the whole global Nike empire. Rooney certainly will not be on his own as seven thousand staff work there.
- The complex opened in 1990. By 2001 it had doubled in size.
- Nike successful fought off an attempt by the city of Beaverton to annex their HQ. An Oregon Senate Bill in 2005 prevented such a move for another 35 years.
- The main campus consists of 17 buildings, named after some of Nike's portfolio of stars including John McEnroe, Lance Armstrong, Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods.
- The overall site covers two million square feet. The most extensive building is the Mia Hamm building at 450,000 sq ft.
- United used the campus as their base at the start of a hugely successful US tour in 2003. More recently, Manchester City paid a visit for a nine-day training camp this summer.
- Rooney is not going to be short of activity. The complex boasts three full-size football pitches, two health clubs and an 11-lane Olympic size swimming pool.
- More importantly, it also houses conditioners and trainers who will ensure Rooney works to the fitness programmes he needs.
- Rooney will specifically be working with the SPARQ team, who aim to improve Speed, Power, Agility, Reaction, Quickness.
- If Rooney gets bored with the sport, he can always go for a wander towards the pond in the middle of the complex, that houses geese and ducks. Alternatively, he can take a walk in the small Chinese garden.
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