West London is a little more blue this week after Chelsea Football Club teamed up with adidas to unveil the first of four 'Blue Pitches' with the aim of encouraging young Londoners to participate in grass roots sport.

Luiz Felipe Scolari, Frank Lampard and Michael Ballack all travelled to Battersea after training on Thursday. There they joined chief executive Peter Kenyon in formally opening the all-weather pitches which can be used for basketball and tennis in addition to football.

Lampard and Ballack were soon doing what they do best, demonstrating the surface's suitability for football and taking an active part in a coaching session with local young people.

'Personally I was very fortunate where I grew up in that I had places like parks to play football time and time again,' said Lampard after finishing the session.

'Maybe those sort of facilities have not been there for some kids but with these four new pitches, and the publicity Chelsea and adidas being involved will give them, hopefully it will get kids down here playing sport instead other things they could be doing. That is beneficial to everyone.'

The locations for the new pitches are in the London boroughs of Kensington & Chelsea, Hammersmith & Fulham and Wandsworth - with Battersea Park School in Wandsworth the one used for the official opening.

They will be free for the community to use as part of an ongoing commitment from Chelsea and adidas to help young people become more active and make a real difference to local communities.

Battersea is a long way from Brazil but Scolari was fully appreciative of the potential benefits to his newly-adopted city.

'In Brazil when I was young we had space because it is big and we played in the street. Now in cities, it is difficult so these pitches are very good.

'I remember from my country that big projects can encourage young boys to start a dream, a career in the future, a chance to start to play some sport.

'It is very important for Chelsea, for adidas, for the players with these boys,' Scolari added, joking that he had sent Lampard and Ballack out with specific instructions to scout for new talent in the coaching session.

'On Wednesday we lost a competition and I was unhappy but I am happy here because I saw something different. It is a situation we need to follow - not just four pitches but 10, 20, 100. For these people it is better for the future.'

Peter Kenyon, who cut the ribbon on the first site in Battersea said: 'The Blue Pitches are state-of-the-art facilities which underline our commitment to providing community sporting opportunities where youngsters, regardless of age or ability, can meet up and play for free.

'I know that all of the Blue Pitches will be a really welcome and much-needed addition to the local communities and show our continuing support for London sport.'

Before departing, the Chelsea players and manager signed autographs for all the kids involved and Lampard took the opportunity to comment for the first time on the Carling Cup exit.

'Of course we are disappointed and Burnley did well but we have to look forward. No-one at Chelsea likes losing but now we have to concentrate our efforts on the Premier League, the Champions League and later on, the FA Cup which are the three major tournaments.'

>> click here for more details on the adidas Blue Pitches project