Mendieta to open football academy

Former Spain international Gaizka Mendieta is hopeful his new football academy in England can help players improve technically.

Mendieta – who spent five seasons in England with Middlesbrough in addition to stints at Valencia, Lazio and Barcelona – will use the Spanish football philosophy, based on short, sharp passing and fluid football to improve English players.

“I am setting up an academy to interlink Spain and England, helping players to develop and improve, not only as players but as people, as human beings,” Mendieta said.

“The idea is to teach English players with a Spanish methodology, because now Spanish football is at the best in its entire history.”

“So we are trying to make the most of that and help the players. It’s not to change them because we want the English players to be English players, but we want to improve them technically, make sure they know about football, how to read the games and make them better players.”

Mendieta hopes to have his new football academy up and running in the coming months.