Etihad surface needs a quick-fix, says Thompson
By Guy Hand, 10 Mar 2010 Guy Hand is a Roar Pro
Melbourne Victory striker Archie Thompson has slammed the Etihad Stadium pitch as “a cow paddock” and warned something must be done quickly to improve it ahead of the A-League grand final on Saturday week.
The Victory were beaten 2-0 in their Asian Champions League match against Korean side Seongnam Ilhwa at the venue on Tuesday night.
And even by recent standards, the pitch was in poor condition – uneven, bumpy and with grass threadbare in large patches.
“It was basically a cow paddock,” Thompson said.
“We could harp on about it … but they had to play on it also and they managed to get two goals, and we didn’t.
“But for a grand final you can’t have a pitch like that. I’d rather play it at (local Melbourne club) Green Gully’s pitch than play on something like that – it was terrible.
“I don’t know what they’re going to do for the grand final.
“I’ll even go out and cut people’s lawn out of their yards if I see some patches that are better than that.
“The pitch was … probably the worst I’ve ever seen it.”
Etihad’s surface has been the source of consternation all season for the Victory – coach Ernie Merrick describing it earlier this season as like “a car park”.
Merrick was more diplomatic on Tuesday night, though he admitted it still remained a problem and Seongnam coach Tae Yong Shin was also critical of the surface.
“I’ll agree with him (about the pitch) but our players to their credit didn’t resort to playing long balls,” Merrick said.
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Lu said | March 10th 2010 @ 7:47am | Report comment
Lu said | March 10th 2010 @ 7:48am | Report comment
Don’t worry Archie.. Bubble Dome coming soon.. !!! This nightmare will be over.. unless it’s a blockbuster and then we’re back at square one.
Phil H said | March 10th 2010 @ 8:21am | Report comment
Absolutely no promises that the Bubble Dome won’t be used for concerts as well. And Etihad has the contract for ACL games for – how many years? It was an absolute disgrace last night. Maybe AFL can put up with the crude and primitive dumping down of new blocks of “grass” but it completely ruins an attempt to play football on it.
Axel V said | March 10th 2010 @ 3:51pm | Report comment
Ah yes! There will defintely be concerts but don’t worry! They’ve promised to time it so perfectly that no sporting match will ever be affected…………………
Realfootball said | March 10th 2010 @ 10:03am | Report comment
I was dismayed at the condition of the pitch. How can it be this bad two weeks after the ACDC concert? What on earth are the ground staff doing?
An absolute disgrace, and it is hard to see it being much better for the grand final. Eithad really is a travesty of a venue.
Axel V said | March 10th 2010 @ 3:39pm | Report comment
What about the tickets being sold at the gate?
We can’t print them from home anymore, had to line up (nothing unusual there).In a line that would usually take 5-10 minutes instead took 40 minutes,
I don’t think the ticket staff have ever used a computer? I simply said to the ticket man, Adult Ticket for Category C please (with exactly $27 in my hand) he replied, WHAD?
I was at the ground 10 minutes before kick off, i missed the first 25 minute of the first half (when i have 2:30 hours total of travel), absolute disgrace.
Level 3 of the ground was closed off (for safety reasons) and many of the decent Level 1 seats were empty and off limits because they were category B…
The majority of people lining up were cold and very angry and wandering what the heck is going on? There was not even 8000 people at Etihad Stadium, i mean seriously? We lost 0-2 and my train home was late on a cold night, I cried myself to sleep! Melbourne have to win at the very least 3 of their remaining ACL 4 matches, our ACL is nearly over before it started.