Chantilly, a city of culture, history and horse racing, will now act as the backdrop for an England team looking to make history this summer, as it provides the training base for Roy Hodgsons side. Sky Sports News HQ were granted exclusive access to the team hotel and training ground and, after spending a day wandering the quaint little streets of this northern French town, its easy to see why the FA were drawn to this location.Less than 25 miles from the French capital, Chantilly was chosen by the FA because of its proximity to Paris and its transport links, as well as the calm and relaxed atmosphere of the city (it is classed as a city, despite having a population of around 11,000). The players will be allowed to spend their downtime venturing out on to the high street for a look at the shops or to stop at one of the traditional French cafés for a coffee. And judging by Chantillys equestrian background, you wouldnt expect them to encounter too many football supporters wanting autographs. Unless youre a certain Leicester striker that is… The five-star Auberge de Jeu de Paume will be Englands home during Euro 2016 As part of our shoot in Chantilly, our chief football reporter Nick Collins recorded a series of pieces to give SSN HQ viewers a behind-the-scenes look at what life might be like for an England player this summer.One clip shows Nick walking down the high street and stopping for an espresso at a local café. When I thanked one of the customers in the cafe for helping to translate, he jokingly asked for an England shirt on my return to Chantilly in the summer with a leading English strikers name on the back.Jamie Vardy? Hes good isnt he? Asked the diner, to my amazement. It seems the Leicester story has made it all the way to the Picardy region of northern France.While Vardy and co may get recognised in the streets of Chantilly, they wont be stopped by tourists in their hotel, the five-star Auberge de Jeu de Paume. The hotel has granted exclusivity to the FA, which has meant turning down a group of regular sponsors who usually stay for the Prix de Diane Longines at the adjacent racecourse. Jamie Vardy and his England colleagues should have no problem relaxing in the bedrooms at the Auberge de Jeu de Paume Exclusivity, as well as facilities such as a swimming pool, a spa and a room to build a bespoke gym, were the reasons behind the FA selecting the hotel. The proximity to the training ground was also high on the agenda. Englands training base is just a five-minute bike ride or short drive from the hotel.The training base itself still has lots of work to be done, but the evidence is already there of the investment that is being made at the Stade de Bourgognes, home to local amateur side US Chantilly.French pitch specialist Sebastien Ranson and his team were hard at work preparing the pitch when we were there - just ahead of laying seeds that had been flown in especially from the FAs St Georges Park headquarters.We have had lots of meeting and discussions but we are happy that the weather is good now or it could have been tricky, Ranson told us. This is the only training pitch of the 24 [qualified] countries to have a hundred per cent new pitch as the quality was too poor. Im pretty sure that were going to be okay and Im confident about the quality of the pitch. The swimming pool at Englands hotel for Euro 2016, the Auberge de Jeu de Paume Once Ranson and his team have finished their work, the FAs specialists will come in to oversee the completion of the project before the team arrive at the start of June. As well as the pitch, there is work to be done on painting the stand, erecting a fence around the perimeter of the training ground, and implementing all the relevant branding.Englands training base pitch designPitch was assessed in 2015 and it was decided that a new pitch would be installedThe pitch is a synthetically reinforced pipe and slit drained pitch with the added benefit of fibresand reinforcementIt has an automatic irrigation systemIt will be similar to the one used in Poland by the English FAThe pitch will be grown in and managed over a nine-week period ahead of Englands arrivalIt will replicate stadium pitch conditions Also See: England call up Heaton for Hart Neville delays England arrival Hodgson must make Euro semis England fixtures . -- David Freese is starting to pick up his run production, which is something the Los Angeles Angels have been waiting half a season to see. . Rockies manager Walt Weiss was unhappy, too. Weiss addressed the issue in a 15-minute meeting with his pitcher and catcher after the Rockies gave up 14 hits and lost 10-1. De La Rosa lasted only 4 1-3 innings and allowed five runs in his first opening-day start.
http://www.cheaptexansjerseysonline.com ... sey-online. Ellis had a season-high 37 points and two key assists late, Dirk Nowitzki led a fourth-quarter rally with 14 of his 35 points, and the Mavericks spoiled Howards best offensive night in Houston with a 123-120 victory over the Rockets on Wednesday night. . The international synchronized skating competition takes place from January 31 - February 1, 2014, and features 39 teams from 10 countries, in senior, junior, and novice. . The $145.7-million Tim Hortons Field was slated to open this month, a year before it was to host all 32 mens and womens soccer competitions. The delay has forced the Hamilton Tiger-Cats football team to use a smaller facility for the first two home games of the season.LONDON, Ont. -- Anthony Mantha was a goal-a-game man in the regular season and the playoffs for the Val-dOr Foreurs. The 19-year-old from Longueil, Que., was rewarded for that consistency with the Canadian Hockey Leagues player-of-the year award Saturday. Mantha had 81 goals in 81 games and added another 77 assists for the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League champion Foreurs. "For sure Im proud of that," the towering winger said. "Its a lot of goals, but the credit needs to come back to my teammates that helped me out through this year. "I think it was just a great season. I put a lot of pressure on myself by leading the team on the ice, off the ice also." Mantha was chosen for the CHLs top individual trophy ahead of Western Hockey League nominee Sam Reinhart of the Kootenay Ice and the Ontario Hockey Leagues Connor Brown of the Erie Otters. Brown was the CHLs top scorer in the regular season with 45 goals and 83 assists in 68 games. Reinhart earned the CHLs sportsmanlike award for recording just 11 minutes in penalties during the season. Mantha accepted the top-player award not long after the Foreurs were eliminated from the MasterCard Memorial Cup. The Foreurs fell 4-3 in triple overtime to the Edmonton Oil Kings in Fridays semifinal. The game was the longest game in Memorial Cup history at 102 minutes 42 seconds of play. Manthas teammates had already departed for Val-dOr on Saturday morning, but the right-winger remained in London to accept the player-of-the-year trophy. "It does feel weird," Mantha acknowledged. "Today, its an individual trophy that I won. For sure, I would have liked way better the trophy from (Sunday), but I mean Ill take this one. "Its a trophy that my teammates helped me out to win this year and I need to give them the credit." Mantha, six foot five and 204 pounds, finished the Memorial Cup with a goal and three assists. His was the lone goal in a 1-0 win over the host Knights to open the tournament. Mantha was drafted in the first round and 20th overall by the Detroit Red Wings in the 2013 NHL entry draft. Foreurs coach Mario Durocherr said during the Memorial Cup that Mantha returned from his first NHL training camp a changed player.dddddddddddd "Last year, I would say a lot of critics were on my consistency level," Mantha said. "When I went to Detroit they tried to put that mentality in me and I think it did work for this year. I came back with that attitude and it was just a great thing for me." He was also Canadas top scorer at this years world junior hockey championship with five goals and six assists in six games. Previous winners of the CHLs top-player award include Jonathan Drouin (2013), Jordan Eberle (2011), John Tavares (2007), Sidney Crosby (2004, 2005), Brad Richards (2000), Eric Lindros (1991) and Joe Sakic (1988). "Its a great award to win and I think its something thats going to stay in mind for a few months if not for a few years, but I need to pass to another level in my career," Mantha said. "I think Ill be ready for it." Derrick Pouliot of the Western Hockey Leagues Portland Winterhawks was named the CHLs top defenceman. The Pittsburgh Penguins prospect had 70 points in 58 games with a plus-minus of plus-40. Jordan Cooke of the Kelowna Rockets earned the trophy for best goaltender. The 20-year-old posted a record of 39-7-0-4 with a goals-against average of 2.28 and a save percentage of .922, Halifax Mooseheads forward Nikolaj Ehlers was chosen top rookie. The 18-year-old from Denmark had a plus-minus rating of plus-65 while contributing 49 goals and 53 assists in 63 games. The coaching award went to Eric Veilleux of the Baie-Comeau Drakkar, who reached the QMJHL final before falling in seven games to Val-dOr. Kingston Frontenacs forward Sam Bennett was selected the top NHL prospect. He is ranked first overall among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting for the draft next month. Erie Otter forward Connor McDavid won the scholastic award with an 87 per cent average in his second semester of Grade 11. Moose Jaw Warriors captain Sam Fioretti was recognized for his humanitarian work off the ice. He works with Moose Jaw police in their anti-bullying program. ' ' '
