Greek National Team Requests New Training Camp

After Greece's World Cup loss to Costa Rica yesterday, Prime Minister Antonis Samaras stated: "All Greeks are proud of our national team...Congratulations to all the boys". This year's FIFA tournament marks the first time the Hellenic team has ever advanced into the second round.

Prior to their final World Cup match, the athletes wrote to Samaras asking for a new training facility to be built, instead of receiving their World Cup bonuses. In their message to the Prime Minister, the National Team penned, "We do not want extra bonuses, or money, we only play for Greece and its people,...All we want is for you to support our effort to find land and to create a sports center that will house our national team."

Deputy Culture Minister Yiannis Andrianos, who presides over the sporting sector, commented on the soccer star's statement: "The Prime Minister's positive response to this request is the guarantee that the state will make every effort possible so that the national teams have this vital infrastructure so that this year's success can be built on and we can soon celebrate new successes". 

(Source: http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_30/06/2014_540946)