By Guy Hand
September 14th 2009 @ 8:08am
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Etihad Stadium surface a disgrace, says Merrick
Melbourne Victory coach Ernie Merrick has launched a blistering attack on his home ground’s playing surface, labelling it “a disgrace” after the club’s A-League title defence continued to stutter on Sunday.
The Victory managed a 1-1 draw with Wellington Phoenix at Etihad Stadium on Sunday – leaving them with just six points in their first six games and planted firmly in the bottom half of the table.
But while Merrick conceded his side had been inconsistent against the Phoenix, his biggest blast was for the multi-purpose football stadium’s playing surface.
The Victory have spent the past four seasons, including their two championship years, playing out of Etihad Stadium – formerly known as Telstra Dome and also used extensively for AFL.
The stadium also hosted Melbourne Storm’s rugby league qualifying final against Manly 48 hours before the Victory match.
“It’s a disgrace … I think we would be better in the car park actually,” Merrick said of the playing surface.
“It’s baked hard, it’s bumpy as and it certainly doesn’t suit our style of play.”
“It’s pretty poor standard.”
Melbourne haven’t won any of their four home matches so far this season.
But while any pitch problems next season may be ironed out with a planned move of some games to a new rectangular stadium, this season’s on-field bumpiness showed no sign of abating in Sunday’s draw.
The Victory took an early lead through Carlos Hernandez’s thunderous 30-metre free-kick in the fourth minute.
Wellington cancelled that out when Tim Brown finished off a sweeping move on the half-hour – deservedly so after playing brighter football for most of the opening half.
The Phoenix, fielding four players who had arrived just 48 hours before kick-off from New Zealand international commitments in the Middle East, could have taken a lead to halftime.
They were denied by three excellent saves from Victory goalkeeper Glen Moss – his best a diving tip over the bar from Andrew Durante’s goalbound header in the 35th minute.
Both sides had their chances in an even second half without managing to find the net.
Phoenix striker Paul Ifill had arguably the best opportunity in the 60th minute, skilfully beating two defenders before putting his shot across the face of goal.
Wellington coach Ricki Herbert was thrilled with his side’s performance despite a disjointed preparation, and believed a string of wins was not far away.
“I thought we played extremely well given the circumstances, the players away, and I thought we were good enough for three points,” Herbert said.
“We don’t go anywhere with any fear and we certainly set the stall out with today’s game.”
The Victory decided not to risk captain Kevin Muscat, who has missed the past five matches with a hamstring problem.
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Art Sapphire said | September 14th 2009 @ 9:04am | Report comment
This is a match report with no analysis. Here is the analysis.
Melbourne Victory – 1 attempt on target. (Hernandez goal in the 3rd minute).
For the next 90 minutes – Mark Paston the Phoenix goalkeeper was a spectator.
Possession – a pitiful 36% to Victory. This must be an all time low for a Victory home game.
How do we explain this sorry state of numbers. Easy.
Merrick played Brebner and Broxham on the middle of the park yesterday.
He also played Carlos out of position on the left, where he spent most of the game as a spectator rather than being an attacking playmaker.
Blaming the pitch is no excuse. The Victory football department is to blame for this shambles. They had all preseason to improve the squad and get rid of the deadwood. They have failed dismally on that count.
Koala Bear said | September 14th 2009 @ 10:30am | Report comment
Art, you sound like a Melbourne Heart FC fan in waiting…
~~~~~~~
KB
Art Sapphire said | September 14th 2009 @ 10:48am | Report comment
KB – I am going to Adelaide on Friday to watch MV take on the Reds.
Another performance like yesterdays and I might even defect to the Reds
melbvictory87 said | September 14th 2009 @ 3:56pm | Report comment
im already considering defecting. forget how poor we are on the field, i think its the idiots that administer the club that put me off
AndyRoo said | September 14th 2009 @ 9:34am | Report comment
Hmm interesting if this is a plus or minus for the Heart.
A plus in that anyone without a MV tatoo will be open to a new club playing nice football….but a negative in that such awful faire turns of people all together.
They have an International spot open and cap room, lets hope they get on track soon.
Simone` said | September 14th 2009 @ 2:43pm | Report comment
“It’s baked hard, it’s bumpy as and it certainly doesn’t suit our style of play.”
Wonder if there’s a surface in the world that would suit the rabble they dish up week in week out. Can’t wait for the Heart.
Chop said | September 14th 2009 @ 2:51pm | Report comment
Unfortunately that’s the disadvantage of playing on a ground designed and maintained for AFL, until the AFL season is over the Victory are just going to have to deal with it, then the Victory will be the priority.
When you compare the income each code brings to the stadium, it’s no real surprise.
Do the MV play in the new stadium before the end of the season?
Art Sapphire said | September 14th 2009 @ 3:07pm | Report comment
No Chop. We are stuck at Etihad this A-League season.
Michael C said | September 15th 2009 @ 4:39pm | Report comment
Chop – the AFL were finished with the venue after week 1 of the finals. The AFL has nothing to do with it now.
Now it’s all down to MVFC and the Storm and various concert acts or graduation ceremonies!!
(although the VFL has a booking for Friday Sep 25 for the VFL GF – and now Storm will be playing that Sat night and MVFC are thankfully up on the Gold Coast).
AndyRoo said | September 14th 2009 @ 2:54pm | Report comment
I really want too see the pitch that suits Brebner and Broxham.
Would have thought a bumpy one helps them more than some one like the Jets
Art Sapphire said | September 14th 2009 @ 3:10pm | Report comment
The only pitch that suit Brebner and Broxham is a cricket pitch. They should take up cricket and roll their arm over instead.
mahony said | September 14th 2009 @ 3:04pm | Report comment
I went to a pre-match fuinstion and got to see the pitch up close and observe the guy painting it. It was absolute crap. Ernie said himself that it was no excuse for the football – byut I think is is a very goos excuse personaly. Geoff Lord got ‘loud and clear’ a message from Silver Members at this same pre-match fundtion about getting the hell out of Etihad ASAP.
Simone` said | September 14th 2009 @ 3:32pm | Report comment
Both teams are playing on the same pitch. So it is not an exscuse. If anything MV play on the ‘bad pitch’ every fortnight, so should be more comfortable and and used to it than the opposition.
Art Sapphire said | September 14th 2009 @ 3:21pm | Report comment
Everyone knows we are getting the hell out of Etihad. Thats not news.
The loud and clear message should have been directed to Ernie Merrick and the football department.
Get your act together and put out a team that can play football.
I can tell you this much the team that plays the better football will get the bigger crowds next season.
melbvictory87 said | September 14th 2009 @ 4:02pm | Report comment
how about the team which doesnt p!ss all over their supporters and wont tell them where they can sit and what flags they can bring. or maybe even a team which makes the tiniest effort to embrace their fans an pre-season, acknowledges seeing a team 14 times a year (or less) is nothing and has a pre-season with the locals. or maybe a team which at least does something for youth in australia and doesnt play fossils. im still p!ssed off at the fact that the retards that run this club made the decision that its better to have less people attend the match than more, moving general admin to the sh!ttest seats in the house. well done, now we cant even bring our friends along because they’ll die of boredom on level 3. the ppl that run this club should be unemployed and they deserve losing 13k fans in 2 years for their idiocy
Brian Munich said | September 15th 2009 @ 3:24pm | Report comment
… but apart from that, no concerns?
The Bear said | September 15th 2009 @ 3:38pm | Report comment
Heart will be no different. BUT if they can, then they shall profit handsomely. Victory are out of touch.