31st July 2012 – Premier league football team Reading FC held their pre-season training camp between 18th and 28th July at the Amendoeira Sports Club, based at the Amendoeira Golf Resort in the central Algarve. This intensive camp was designed to bring the squad together for serious training and team building in advance of the first match of the new Barclays Premier League season against Stoke on 18th August.

This was manager Brian McDermott’s first camp at the venue and his 28 man squad included the new signings, Russia striker Pavel Pogrebnyak, defender Chris Gunter, midfielder Danny Guthrie and winger Garath McCleary. Old favourites such as striker Adam Le Fondre, goalkeeper Adam Federici and captain Jobi McAnuff were also present.

McDermott set up an intensive schedule with regular training sessions on the natural grass full-size football pitch. The players were able to concentrate on their skills and tactics in the privacy of the Amendoeira Sports Club. In addition to training sessions on the pitch, the squad trained in the gym and had their nutritionally balanced meals at the stunning clubhouse on site. Three friendly matches took place in the Algarve. The first on 21st July was against Portuguese team Quarteirense and Reading owner Anton Zingarevich flew out to Portugal to watch the match. The result was a 1:1 draw with Reading’s Ian Harte scoring from a superb free kick.

On 24th July, the team played against Sheffield Wednesday and Pavel Pogrebnyak made his debut for Reading. Although the score of 0:2 disappointed some Reading fans who had travelled to see the game in Albufeira, these friendly matches were all designed to increase the squad’s fitness and integrate the new team members.. The final match against Portuguese team Olhanense took place on 27th July with a final outcome of 1:1 against a good side giving the team a great workout.

The players and staff stayed in luxurious two bedroom apartments and the experienced Oceânico team was on hand to ensure the training camp ran smoothly, including collection from the airport, training, meals, accommodation and transfers around the resort.

Other teams who have hosted their training camp at the Amendoeira Sports Club include Queens Park Rangers FC, Peterborough United, Sunderland AFC and Aston Villa FC in addition to Irish teams: the Republic of Ireland Senior Ladies football team, the Republic of Ireland U19s Men’s football team, the Kerry footballers and Dublin Hurlers. A host of other professional teams have also trained on the pitch or had friendly matches there including German team Hertha Berlin, Swedish team IF Elfsborg, Dutch teams Groningen TC and Ajax FC, Russian team Lokomotiv Moscow and Portuguese teams Portimonense SC and SC Olhanense.

In addition to the full size, natural grass pitch, the Amendoeira Sports Club boasts six tennis courts, two 5-a-side football pitches, a beach volleyball/football court, a gymnasium and sports bar. Amendoeira Golf Resort also offers the 9 hole, par 3 Oceânico Academy course, ideally suited to beginners and those wanting to improve their game, and two championship golf courses: the Oceânico Faldo Course designed by Sir Nick Faldo, and Oceânico O’Connor Jnr. course designed by Christy O’Connor Jnr.

Professional warm weather training packages are available for football, Gaelic football and hurling. Amendoeira Golf Resort provides luxury accommodation in spacious two bedroom apartments and three bedroom villas: the two bedroom apartments are situated in private village complexes with large communal swimming pools and the villas have their own pools. The stunning clubhouse provides the perfect venue for all food & beverage requirements of professional teams.

The experienced Oceânico team tailor-make each warm weather training package to suit the client and can also arrange off-site excursions and team building activities.

For more media information, please contact Michelle Collins at the Oceânico Group on:
00351 282 771 800 email: michelle.collins@oceanicogroup.com