 |  We're putting a sizeable sum of our own money aside to assist the ground improvements of the Welsh Premier |
The Football Association of Wales has defended the decision to spend a �1.1m Uefa grant to build new offices instead of developing grass-roots football. "We're using the money in exactly the way Uefa are asking us to do," said FAW secretary general David Collins.
"The Uefa HatTrick money has to be spent for office structures, national stadia and training facilities."
Uefa president Lennart Johansson opened the new headquarters in Cardiff on Monday.
The new premises close to Cardiff Bay replaces the FAW's previous 100-year-old city centre headquarters, and Johansson gave it a ringing endorsement.
He told BBC Wales Sport: "The premises and technical equipment tells us that we have done something to the benefit of the Football Association of Wales.
"Without a new building there is no space for those who are employed to do a proper job and to serve football. This is a must.
"I can understand fans asking why not spend the money on pitches, but we do both.
"But to develop football for the future, it needs people to work day-to-day in premises with the necessary communication tools. And here they have it.
 Johansson was impressed with the FAW headquarters |
"It's quite elegant, with good materials without being snobby. It's just what we wanted to see."
Collins refused to divulge how much the FAW has spent on the project, only to describe it as a "sizeable sum of money".
But he said the critics are "wrong" to accuse the FAW of ignoring the needs at grassroots level.
"We are spending money at grassroots on 44 mini pitches, again assisted by Uefa through their HatTrick programme, the foundation for the sports and the arts and our own money," said Collins.
"We are halfway through that programme and I was able to take Mr Johansson to one of the pitches in Butetown (in Cardiff)."
He added: "We are developing a new national training facility, but in this case with the help of Fifa.
"We're putting a sizeable sum of our own money aside to assist the ground improvements of the Welsh Premier, the Welsh League and the Cymru Alliance.
"Last year we were able to develop Carmarthen and Rhyl with very large sums of money.
"We are continuing that programme - as we have been doing for the past 15 years, but of course that doesn't always grab the headlines."
MMIX
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