Analysts of the circumstances that affect the performance of World Cup teams say that selecting the right base for each team is crucial. They argue that doing well in the Mundial including emerging in the last four teams depends on the mix between the mental preparation of each team and the domestic issues that are hardly visible.
Ever heard of Pyatigorsk? If it sounds Greek to you, do not worry. By the beginning of summer in 2018, you will be quite familiar with the name. Well, Nigeria has picked the city of Pyatigorsk as its first-choice base camp for next year’s World Cup in Russia, subject to approval by FIFA.
While there, the Super Eagles would be lodged at the Professional Sanatorium Complex Mashuk Aqua-Therm, which, according to the FIFA Guide Book, is “one of the best spa facilities located in the protected eco-resort region of the Caucasian Mineral waters.”
Located in the southern cluster of FIFA’s Base Camps, the Sanatorium is almost equidistant from the Super Eagles’ match venues, namely Kaliningrad, Volgograd, and St. Petersburg respectively.
It is two hours’ flying time from the venue of the first match against Croatia, one and half hours away from the venue of the second match, and 50 minutes flying time away from the venue of the final group game.
Importantly, the base camp is two hours flying time from Moscow, where the NFF delegation will be lodged, according to a top source within the federation. “The NFF is only going with a small delegation, but that delegation will still be far away from the team so that there will be no distractions,” the source informed newsmen.
This is similar to the arrangement at the last World Cup in Brazil, where the Super Eagles’ base camp was in Campinas, while the delegation stayed in Sao Paulo, nearly three hours away by road.
If the NFF fails to get the Sanatorium in Pyatigorsk, there are two other, undisclosed, options under consideration.
