Villa are to solve the age-old problem of training through the big freeze – by erecting a huge £40,000 inflatable tent at Bodymoor Heath.

Manager Martin O’Neill has come up with the idea after successfully using a similar cover when he was in charge at Celtic.

Groundsmen were ready to take the wraps off the 60 metres by 45 metres cover today in ready for the cold snap.

Villa sent an official to Glasgow to look at the cover used by Celtic at their Barrowfield training ground, which was specifically designed for O’Neill by Glasgow-based firm AAA SK Domes.

O’Neill came up with the idea at Parkhead after players lost a day’s training one year because the pitches were frozen.

And the Villa squad will have no excuses for complaining about the cold – because the cover will be powered by a generator feeding two heaters blowing hot air continually.

The cover could be in-situ until March, when the temperatures rise again.

“The only reason I’m bringing a tent in is for the frost, that’s all. It’s so we can continue to train during the frosty period,” said O’Neill. “We had one up in Glasgow and we’re using the same people.

“We don’t have any undersoil heating, which is understandable for a place this age, so we’re looking at this so we’re able to train.

“What we noticed at Celtic was that covers on the pitch would handle minus two or three degrees, but when it got colder, the covers weren’t enough.

“So we decided to go for the inflatable. Obviously up in Scotland we had it up for quite some time.

“I know it works a treat and it’s not that costly.

“The last thing you want to do is have Premiership players running around in the morning to find out where they’re going to be training.

“That’s the only reason we’re looking to do this.”

O’Neill revealed he was delighted with the work being done by Villa’s groundstaff.

“The groundsmen do a great job here and I have absolutely no problem with the facilities. I’ve got no complaints,” said the manager.

“The very fact they’re improving the facilities for next season is phenomenal.”