i noticed in last weeks news shopper that they had a piece on Bradley Pritchard, and he was saying that the team looked forward to playing away as they got to play on decent pitches. I thought he was being a bit disloyal and making excuses at the time but perhaps not.
Ben Hamer is entilted to his opinion, for whatever reason (cost, bad winter) the pitch is in a bad state. It doesn't mean it is a go againast any of the staff who are doing the best with what they have
He could have been more tactful, but then if when asked about the pitch, he said it was fine, he would have been pilloried!
I suppose he should have made a long and measured response, commenting that the pitch wasn't brilliant, but in the circumstances (lack of investment, bad weather, no under soil heating or lights, no plastic inserts etc) it was as good as anyone could expect. In the same way we expect from footballers when interviewed...
I swear to God I saw a smirk on the face of the statue of Sam Bartram tonight.
In my fantasy world Colin Powell came out tonight and said "I'm sure the team would be performing better at home this season, but unfortunately the goalie is shit".
Pitch hasn't held up very well the past couple of seasons but I think it's been particularly awful this time around, even with all the nasty weather this winter. It's a shame because I always remember our pitches being one of the best around the country.
Always used to say every year our pitch was up there with the best in the country, whatever the weather, every season. Been pretty awful all season really, even well before winter kicked in. Don't know why but the pitch standard has dropped this year for sure.
Surely the better the pitch the worse it is for us?! We don't seem to play football lately jus hoof balll and hamer does not like to play the ball out short.
This can be solved easily, just sellotape packets of grass seed to the seats at the next home game and get one of the players to feign injury whilst the ref waits to send him off.....
I've long been of the view that every club that gets to the premiership, automatically has to get under soil heating and all the equipment to have a top spec pitch.If you make part of the parachute payments the cost of the upkeep of the equipment over say 20 years then about half of the 92 league clubs would at least have some sort of 'legacy' even if it was just 1 year in the top flight.
Have a look back at the pitches the 50' and 60's free flowing teams like Hungary and Brazil played on. Watch the Matthews Cup Final again. I hope he isn't lining up this week's excuse not performing.
I know the weather doesn't help, but is there something we did differently last summer than in previous close seasons? It's often the way it's laid at the start that causes the knock on effects later on. Is it simply due to the pitch hire in the summer meaning it can't be relaid in the most desirable way and if so then how much lost revenue would reducing the pitch hire result in?
Very unprofessional of Hamer speaking to the press rather than the ground staff btw but I imagine it must have been in response to a question (not that that's a good enough excuse!)
I've long been of the view that every club that gets to the premiership, automatically has to get under soil heating and all the equipment to have a top spec pitch.If you make part of the parachute payments the cost of the upkeep of the equipment over say 20 years then about half of the 92 league clubs would at least have some sort of 'legacy' even if it was just 1 year in the top flight.
I never understood why we didn't get undersoil heating back then, I presume it was because we had the plastic dome (now deceased) which did the same job. I'm surprised we no longer have the plastic inserts in the pitch, as we certainly did back then, as these made a big difference to keeping the pitch intact. Presumably these aren't forever, and have to be replace/relaid every year or so?
Poor old PP , i didn't realise he wasn't well , get well soon Paddy , i know he has taken a huge amount of pride over the condition of the pitch at the Valley.
Paddy is fine by all accounts, he was a little unwell but I'm sure as a proud curator of usually a great surface he is frustrated by it !
Glad to hear he's fine.
Like you, I'm sure he takes pride in his work and will be frustrated that the pitch isn't up to the high standard he has set.
Good post Henry. On the mailing list one well connected poster has written that the budget for the pitch was slashed in the summer. It's an interesting idea that the Trust could fund something concrete like long term improvements to the pitch and its upkeep. Whatever the merits of Hamers comments at this time, we surely all want the playing surface to be as good as possible, right, because all other things being equal the quality of football will improve, and we as the home side would be encouraged to play it on the deck more.
Paddy is fine by all accounts, he was a little unwell but I'm sure as a proud curator of usually a great surface he is frustrated by it !
Glad to hear he's fine.
Like you, I'm sure he takes pride in his work and will be frustrated that the pitch isn't up to the high standard he has set.
Good post Henry. On the mailing list one well connected poster has written that the budget for the pitch was slashed in the summer. It's an interesting idea that the Trust could fund something concrete like long term improvements to the pitch and its upkeep. Whatever the merits of Hamers comments at this time, we surely all want the playing surface to be as good as possible, right, because all other things being equal the quality of football will improve, and we as the home side would be encouraged to play it on the deck more.
That's interesting, if true, and adds to the melting pot of rumours about what happened to our finances last summer... If this was a temporary cashflow problem, then this summer presumably the spend on the pitch will be back to it's normal level. Indeed, maybe it's a good thing that the playing staff are bringing the subject up in public...
I think the solution for all but the extremely rich clubs is artificial pitches. It will happen - the technology provides a more than adequate solution now - unlike those in the 80s - and will get better. Is it better to play on a 3g pitch or a bobbly mud-heap?
Football is very slow to change, and it may take 1- -20 years- but it will happen. It makes sound economic sense.
Not worried about whether Hamer's out of turn etc. It might help to get something done about it (or it may have no effect). The quality of the football is being hindered by the pitch and that's a fact. Supporters are paying a lot of money these days so a decent pitch is a basic requirement.
Comments
Well, Ben ........ it's a lot to do with the weather, you know.
;o)
I think he is a quality keeper and the type of character you want around the club.
I thought he was being a bit disloyal and making excuses at the time but perhaps not.
I suppose he should have made a long and measured response, commenting that the pitch wasn't brilliant, but in the circumstances (lack of investment, bad weather, no under soil heating or lights, no plastic inserts etc) it was as good as anyone could expect. In the same way we expect from footballers when interviewed...
In my fantasy world Colin Powell came out tonight and said "I'm sure the team would be performing better at home this season, but unfortunately the goalie is shit".
Shut up and get on with it Hamer
Been pretty awful all season really, even well before winter kicked in.
Don't know why but the pitch standard has dropped this year for sure.
Very unprofessional of Hamer speaking to the press rather than the ground staff btw but I imagine it must have been in response to a question (not that that's a good enough excuse!)
Whatever the merits of Hamers comments at this time, we surely all want the playing surface to be as good as possible, right, because all other things being equal the quality of football will improve, and we as the home side would be encouraged to play it on the deck more.
If this was a temporary cashflow problem, then this summer presumably the spend on the pitch will be back to it's normal level. Indeed, maybe it's a good thing that the playing staff are bringing the subject up in public...
Football is very slow to change, and it may take 1- -20 years- but it will happen. It makes sound economic sense.