Where will Croatia be preparing for EURO 2016?
Croatian Football Federation (HNS) has still not made the official decision on the choice of the training camp in which Croatian national football team will be staying during the European Championships in France later this year. The favourite is Bruz, a small town some ten kilometres from Rennes. Croatian delegation led by head coach Ante Čačić will travel to France in the next few days and make the final decision, reports Vecernji List on February 17, 2016.
HNS is satisfied with the conditions at the lakeside hotel which has four stars, and the rooms reserved for Srna, Modrić and other Croatian players offer magnificent views of the lake Vialine. Like most camps which France has offered to the teams, the hotel in Bruz is a real paradise for golfers. However, the problem is the football pitches in Guichen, about fifteen kilometres away, where Croatian team would train and prepare for the matches. The pitches do not meet the criteria set by HNS and, although the hosts claim that everything will be fine by the beginning of June, this is the main reason why Čačić is still reluctant to make the decision.
The deadline for the camp selection expired on 31 January, but fortunately it can be extended.
The other option is a training camp in Normandy, in the town of Deauville Saint-Arnoult on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. The Hotel Du Golf Barriere was the choice of former head coach Niko Kovač, but it is hard to imagine that the hotel and the town would offer the right conditions for Croatian players. Deauville is one of the most prestigious resorts in France, and the beach carries the title “the Queen of Normandy”. Many rich Parisians love to visit the town with numerous casinos.
The third option is a golf centre near Bordeaux, in Le Pian Medoc. The du Medoc Hotel offers peace, but there are no training pitches. However, in the next few days Croatian Football Federation will have to make its final decision.
In 1998, when Croatia won the third place at the World Cup in France, Croatian national team stayed at Vittel. However, there were no investments in the hotel since, so Croatian Football Federation President Šuker decided against returning there.
Most of the other teams will have their bases near Paris. England will stay at Chantilly, which is 50 kilometres away. That was one of the most expensive accommodation options, costing about 600 euros per person per day. The accommodation at Bruz is estimated to cost just 250 euros per person per day. Portugal will stay in Marcoussis, while the hosts will be at Clairefontaine, which is their usual training camp.
