“Chris Coleman is terrific. You can talk to him. He has his say, he listens and respects what I think”
stuff slows it down because the grass tries to hibernate. They come and build the stage six days beforehand. We put aluminium sheets down to take the weight.” “All the staging weighs between 300 and 420 tonnes. It kills the grass and then we have to grow it back again. So, we are putting a plastic honeycombed membrane down on the pitch for concert visitors, and aluminium under the stage to give it some protection” When the ground first opened they had less than a week to prepare the pitch for the first game - although they played their first game away which gave ground staff a little more time.
This summer’s schedule of concerts means Michael and his staff have to keep ‘handing the pitch back’. June and July are testing months before a new season kicks off on the 8th August.
Chris Coleman, Manager, Coventry City FC
But, such is Michael’s passion that, what might seem like troubles come to test his patience couldn’t, in fact,
be further from the truth. “I was born in Coventry and my passion is for the city of Coventry, entertaining the people of Coventry and the football club. My pride is for the city.” After all these years you might think that every day tending the pitch and keeping everybody happy would become routine. Not a bit of it. The big occasions do get the adrenalin flowing.
“Playing Chelsea in the quarter final of the FA Cup gave me such a buzz. Making sure everything was right. I sat in the stand for a bit and then retreated to my office. I just did some paperwork - but I didn’t watch the game. I looked at the grass from time to time, but that’s all.”
Sunday morning and Michael IS glued to the television - to ITV1’s The Championship. But, unlike managers and agents, he doesn’t watch the players. He’s looking at the grass.
“I never miss it. I look at how
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