LIFE'S A PITCH ... Sunderland defender Phil Bardsley.

LIFE'S A PITCH ... Sunderland defender Phil Bardsley.


PHIL Bardsley says Sunderland will have to beat their crumbling pitch this weekend, as well as wounded Champions League opponents Arsenal.

Both Martin O’Neill and Arsene Wenger made reference to the poor state of the pitch at the Stadium of Light when the two teams met in the league last Saturday.

And as someone who has played on the deteriorating surface over the course of the winter, Bardsley can only echo their concerns.

“The pitch is not the best at the moment,” he conceded.

“In fact, it’s probably the worst in the league, but that said, we are trying to adapt to it and use it to our advantage because we are used to it.

“I can’t seen too many top teams coming here and playing football on it.

“For the last three or four games, the pitch has been terrible, I think everybody knows that.

“But we’ll adapt to it, get on with it, that’s what we’re all about. We’re professionals, and we go about it in the right way and try to play as much football as possible on it.”

Sunderland will have the pitch relaid over the close season, once the summer concerts – Coldplay, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Bruce Springsteen – are played.

We’ll Learn From Defeat, Says Sunderland Manager Martin O’Neill

In the meantime, the club will hope that the three-week break which follows this weekend’s visit of the Gunners, before Liverpool are next guests at the Stadium of Light, will help the surface improve.

Bardsley has been among the most vocal players in praising the effect Martin O’Neill has had since his arrival at the club at the end of last year.

And he hopes the managerial maestro’s magic will continue to rub off in the cup when Arsenal come to Wearside for the second time in a week on Saturday.

“The mentality to do well in the cups was always there under previous managers – we just fell short,” said the full-back.

“We want to go a long way in this competition – the manager drills that into us.

“But we’re hard to beat at the minute, we look organised and hopefully we can keep that run going – it would be great to the final of the FA Cup.

“It’s all about bringing a bit of belief back.

“Under the last manager, we’d lost a bit of that. The results didn’t exactly breed confidence but now the results are good, everybody’s singing from the same hymn sheet.




yep Phill his time was up

 

I must say the pitch is ****e.

Might be part of MON's plan to make SOL a fortress

 

This was done yesterday and this morning lads. You got a mention roger!!! http://www.not606.com/showthread.php/124919-Our-pitch!

 

Yes and i dont see it getting any better soon. When the season finishes and the new seed is sown, what do they do, yeah you got it, cover it over and hold a bloody pop concert on it. Grass requires all the elements in order to grow ie, light, wind, rain and sunshine etc etc. But the club will pocket a nice chunk of change and once again those who matter, the players will have to dispay their talents on a cabbage patch.

 

You had me thinking you were going to smack one as someones bitch

 

Although it states no prem. clubs would use them......could it be viable one day?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17064905

 

I'm afraid i cant go with the artificial pitch. They're a blot on the landscape,i know they look nice all year round but the game was meant to be played on GRASS. We've been down this road some years ago and if my memory serves me well the majority of players were against them then. I just hope that the status quo remains the same.

 

Will they re seed it or just lift it & lay rolls of new turf?

 

I used to work at Durham City AFC (New ferens park) when the reserves played there and Tommy Porter was groundsman - SAFC had a great pitch then and Durham's was by far the best in the league because of Tommy.

They plant and grow it outside and roll the turf out - although they are waiting until after the concerts to roll out the new pitch

 

Went on the Man City tour last week (Mrs is a season card holder their) where they made reference to ground staff/nominated best in prem etc. They mentioned 'implanting' plastics blades in the soil, grass roots then wrap round making grass stronger....City have had concerts at their ground so would appear comes down to ground staff/technique...can't see why we can't do the same...as a minimum pitch looks embarrassing.