Artificial Surfaces
Like it or not, the surfaces exist, and have proved their worth in Sweden, Russia and other countries where the vagaries of the winter weather play havoc with natural grass. Now there are calls from some second division clubs, amongst them Accrington Stanley and Wycombe Wanderers, to be given the green light from the FA to install them at their respective stadiums.
S
Having just watched the Champions League match between CSKA Moskva and Lille, played on an artificial surface, I was impressed at how well Lille played their passing game in a 2-0 win - including a fine performance by Joe Cole - without any regard for the ‘unnatural’ surface. I confess that, having joined the game after half time, I was not even aware it was an artificial surface until one of the commentators mentioned it.
You see, the fact is that many of our top professionals already train on the stuff,
o, what exactly is wrong with playing professional football or rugby on an artificial surface - 3G, 4G or anything else for that matter?
whilst the younger academy players coming through are as much used to 3 and 4G as they are to grass. For them it is a ‘natural’ choice of surface.
Is it so difficult to accept that top flight football in the UK will be played on artificial surfaces? Are we, as an industry, so blinkered that we cannot accept change? One commentator stated recently that, in ten years time, all league football will be played on artificial surfaces. That might be a tad optimistic - or pessimistic, depending on your viewpoint - but, the surface manufacturers have made huge strides in replicating its performance to grass and, of course, the research and development continues. If it’s not already, it will play as good as grass at some point.
Why should our industry resist change? Many see it as a threat; perhaps artificial surfaces should be seen as an opportunity. That is certainly how the lower league clubs view it; an opportunity to increase revenue and, taking Accrington Stanley as a case in point, the state of their pitch during a televised FA Cup tie last season did the
natural grass argument no favours at all. On the flip side, 2nd division Aldershot’s pitch for the Carling Cup tie against Manchester United was a credit to their groundsman. And there’s the conundrum.
What is clear is that opinion is divided. It wasn’t long ago that most believed the internet would kill off newspapers, magazines and television. It didn’t. Sure, all have had to react to this new ‘monster’; who would have thought, just a few short years ago, that you would be able to pause live TV? Similarly, artificial surfaces won’t kill off grass surfaces.
The arguments for and against are made on the following pages, with the European Seed Association championing, quite obviously, seed and turf, whilst the case for artificial is made by Gosforth Rugby Club. Both make a strong case for the defence, but share little or no middle ground. This is followed by Nick Harris of Technical Surfaces explaining the costs involved in maintaining an artificial surface; something, perhaps, the pro- artificial campaigners often fail to consider.
“The younger academy players coming through are as much used to 3 and 4G as they are to grass. For them it is a ‘natural’ choice of surface”
proved artificial pitch inside their stadium
BSC Young Boys playing FC Thun in the Swiss League on their artificial surface
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156