Antwerp training at Auchenhowie

People comparing our pitch to those in the EPL where clubs who finish bottom still get around £100m! Every pitch in Scotland is an absolute mess this winter.
 
Usual practice for visiting team to train on pitch or training facilities.
 
CoopBlue said:
Having to ask teams to not use our pitch because it is so bad is quite embarrassing in all honesty.

Seriously needs addressing.
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We have had snow and quite a bit of rain recently and maybe more can be done but I would think given the state of the pitch this is a sensible approach that should suit both teams imo!
 
Rapid Vienna's pitch two years ago was the worst I've ever seen.

Ibrox is the darkest pitch in the UK if I remember correctly.

We all know what it needs. Maybe Haughy will buy it ;)
 
The Shadow said:
I find the above hard to believe?

It seems that we have ripped up and relaid our pitch numerous times in the past few years?

Last time was only a year or so ago. So we are spending the money (I believe) so the pitch should be as good as it can??
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As the others mention, there is another poster that has gone into detail on this recently.

Long story short - you need to replace the whole pitch including the soil underneath every 4 to 5 years. We haven't done this in something like 8 years so we are well overdue. So while we have been relaying the turf on top every off-season, it won't get any better until we do it properly.
 
CoopBlue said:
Having to ask teams to not use our pitch because it is so bad is quite embarrassing in all honesty.

Seriously needs addressing.
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Really not a lot the ground staff can do after such a harsh winter spell of weather. They've obviously put seed down, hence the pigeons, but until it warms up a bit, they simply won't germinate and grow. Any piece of grass in the country, played on like our pitch, will be in no better state than ours, and probably a lot worse.
 
Giffnock bear said:
It rains in Glasgow over 300 days a year on average. Yesterday the rain was teaming down for over 24 hours. In Winter the grass doesn't grow so the pitch takes a doing. Hopefully next season they are going to use the same system as the epl.
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...and then those pesky pigeons :))
 
Will be good when we eventually go straight into Group stages of CL and don't have to play a number of qualifying ties starting July when the pitch will have just been relaid and the grass roots barely settled.

Similarly perhaps we should play more away and fewer pre-season friendlies at Ibrox - Yeah I know :)

Both would help give the new pitch more time to establish.
 
Due to the condition of the pitch they were offered the pitches at the Training Centre. They were permitted to use Ibrox for a light session but no ball work.
 
CoopBlue said:
In a nutshell.

The board have put absolutely no priority on our playing surface and whole underlying structure. Thus we have a shit show of a pitch after about a dozen home games each season.

Not good enough.

Standards.
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We are 18 points clear in February unbeaten in the league and Europe, on the verge of qualifying for last 16.

We'd all love a pristine bowling green surface of a pitch, but complaining about thd board's priorities and it not being good enough after the above?
 
HumpZ said:
The pitch has been covered for days at a time in the past 3 months.

it isn't the solution and the main reason for the covers at the moment is to help the newly sown seed establish.

and just for reference.... the covers take 4 men a day to put down and then half a day to bring up. Not excatly ideal for time when we don't have a huge staff level.

Spurs for example have 36 groundman between the training ground and stadium, we have 8.....
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Where do I apply? You should see my garden.
 
Things I have learned in this thread...

We should asspire to have a pitch as good as Motherwell. This is Motherwell who recently contacted us to appologise for the state of pitch we were about to play on. And they were correct, as it was more beach than football pitch.


If we invest heavily in the pitch, it will allow us to win more home games. This is the home games where we have won 18 and drawn 1 out of 19 competitive games this season.


But I do hope we can find the required funds to help the groundstaff out in the near future. Would be nice to have a top level playing surface for the majority of the season.
 
gersfanal said:
Will be good when we eventually go straight into Group stages of CL and don't have to play a number of qualifying ties starting July when the pitch will have just been relaid and the grass roots barely settled.

Similarly perhaps we should play more away and fewer pre-season friendlies at Ibrox - Yeah I know :)

Both would help give the new pitch more time to establish.
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CL qualifying for is this years starts 3rd August. So the earliest game at Ibrox will be 3rd August - or 10th August if we are way first. This gives us plenty time to do the necessary work. But it all comes down to the board deciding if they will provide funds to do the work.
 
GF7 said:
We are 18 points clear in February unbeaten in the league and Europe, on the verge of qualifying for last 16.

We'd all love a pristine bowling green surface of a pitch, but complaining about thd board's priorities and it not being good enough after the above?
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Come on mate, you must understand the right to moan about something.
 
CoopBlue said:
This.

The likes of Anfield is what we should be aspiring to.

Yes, it will take some investment, but their pitch is absolutely immaculate. Like a carpet. And Liverpool is hardly a warm, sunny desert location.

There are solutions out there. Plenty clubs using these solutions. Let's just hope we do soon.
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Glasgow gets around 50% more rain on average than either Liverpool or Manchester which have a reputation as being wet by English standards.

On the other hand Liverpool gets 20% more sunshine in an average year.
 
The pigeons have been drafted in from one of our high up EPL needle men down at one of the big Oxford labs.

Our players have the anti bodies to deal with their shite, presence and aroma they leave in the air we actually get a boost from and they have the opposite effect on the opposition team.

We’re going to get to the semi’s of the Europa at least that’s why they were there on Sunday and we will wipe the floor with Antwerp tonight.
 
LarkfiedLoyalNS said:
The pigeons have been drafted in from one of our high up EPL needle men down at one of the big Oxford labs.

Our players have the anti bodies to deal with their shite, presence and aroma they leave in the air we actually get a boost from and they have the opposite effect on the opposition team.

We’re going to get to the semi’s of the Europa at least that’s why they were there on Sunday and we will wipe the floor with Antwerp tonight.
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Did you notice there was less of them by the final whistle ? - The coonts went all Subway Loyal !! Evidence below.

tumblr_lw318omc3p1qbfnhro1_400.gif
 
Crouchy said:
You’re not an idiot, so I know your taking the piss.

They are remotely different budgets.

You want a name though, we shouldn’t pay Barker and invest in a pitch instead, if that helps your argument.

Motherwell, who are skint and shite and cannot experience vastly different weather to Govan, they had a better pitch than us.
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for a week after we played a European tie in horrendous weather they did, have you seen the state of their pitch lately ? There is not a better natural surface in the SPL, Scottish weather doesn’t lend itself to winter football. You play football on a wet/damp pitch it’s going to cut up. Do you know how long it takes to recover ? Not long enough before it’s played on again.

Antwerp‘s pitch last week was honking and I’m sure I read on here from someone with knowledge of the Belgian league that theirs was one of the best pitches.
 
rangeral said:
Close season of 1993

1993/94 latter part of that season the pitch resemble like a beach with amount of sand on it
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That 2-2 battle against Marseille was essentially a battle in the mud. The rain sure didn't help, but I clearly remember the pitch looked terrible.

One step at the time. Hopefully with the CL income, we can adress that problem sooner rather than later.
 
bad boy boogie said:
Get the season ended and dig the pitch up and sell it off £5.50 a square to fans for a wee 55 souvenir.
Then re-lay a new one as per liverpools spec in time for next season.
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And make sure that the new grass has a good ration of dried blood and sand to help it on its way. Works for my lawn.
 
CoopBlue said:
Having to ask teams to not use our pitch because it is so bad is quite embarrassing in all honesty.

Seriously needs addressing.
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Antwerp's pitch was shite as well! Slips from Barisic and Hellander as well as their keeper, and probably contributed to Roofe's injury.

Not great the our pitch is struggling, but we're hardly alone in that.
 
We've lowered the pitch on a few occasions now. Drainage at Ibrox won't be the best and we're close enough to the Clyde that it'll have an impact on the water table. Add in the very heavy rain we've had for a few spells recently and the park won't be in good condition.

Certainly wouldn't be a bad idea to completely relay the pitch.
 
CoopBlue said:
CL qualifying for is this years starts 3rd August. So the earliest game at Ibrox will be 3rd August - or 10th August if we are way first. This gives us plenty time to do the necessary work. But it all comes down to the board deciding if they will provide funds to do the work.
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Thanks I was unaware of exact timing
 
Macky1986 said:
People comparing our pitch to those in the EPL where clubs who finish bottom still get around £100m! Every pitch in Scotland is an absolute mess this winter.
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It takes an £100m to get a decent pitch? My point is about budget; is it really a budget issue?
 
As we have had money invested in the club, the team, the management and the stadium have improved.

The pitch hasn’t.
 
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