Expert turfers

[earthworm]

This could have gone in the Wembley thread, but with that title, the thread makes itself :hey:

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11095_6093307,00.html

Wembley officials are to meet pitch experts on Monday to try to solve the persistent problems with the stadium's playing surface.
The Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG) have been asked to a meeting with stadium chiefs as criticism of the pitch intensified after last weekend's FA Cup semi-finals.
A statement read: "The IOG is pleased to have been invited to a meeting with Wembley Stadium on Monday and hope it might be the start of finding a long-term solution to the problems of the playing surface at our national stadium."
Wembley have admitted the pitch is not up to the required standard and Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has warned the surface could affect England's 2018 World Cup bid.
Wenger has branded the pitch "not acceptable" and reckons the FA needs to get to the root of the problem rather than continue to replace the turf.
Decision due

Stadium officials have said they will "probably" replace the pitch again before the FA Cup Final on 15th May - for what would be the 11th time since the new Wembley opened in 2007.
But experts have advised that to replace the turf fully would require a six-week process.
A decision on whether the pitch will be relaid before the FA Cup Final will be taken following Monday's meeting, with another game due to be played at Wembley this weekend - a Guinness Premiership rugby union match between Saracens and Harlequins.

 

[Darth Pierre]

the problem is that they dont let it bed in properly

they rip it up and start again so many times.

 

[TheDude]

Need to stop having them stupid concerts on top of it.

 

[Dadford]

Leave the place for the Padded throwers from the US of A.

 

[Jon NFFC]

£1 million pounds on turf since wembley was built, what a disgrace.

 

[ubique]

Need to stop having them stupid concerts on top of it.

don't forget building a racetrack on it!

 

[TheDude]

Least the millennium stadiums turf could be lowered or whatever so when they had other events there the grass wouldn't be damaged.

 

[eezzeetiger]

I worked on a windfarm site in S****horpe last year, where they grew Wembley and other stadium grass. The wembley stuff just doesn't look like football turf, much more short hard wearing rye grass, very easy to dry out...I'm not an expert on grass, i'm not even good at building windfarms, but i would have a good look at the grass.

 

[Flaggers]

Ah! The delights of spending a ludicrous amount of money on the wretched place (still in the wrong place by about 100 miles) and feeling the need to whore the place out to recoup some of the shameful expenditure comes back to bite them.

Should have looked at the spec - and price - of The Millennium Stadium and bought something like that only larger.

800 million pounds & there's no roof & still a godawful shadow on Cup Final afternoon.

You can tell it wasn't their own money, can't you...

 

[Tutts]

Ah! The delights of spending a ludicrous amount of money on the wretched place (still in the wrong place by about 100 miles) and feeling the need to whore the place out to recoup some of the shameful expenditure comes back to bite them.

Should have looked at the spec - and price - of The Millennium Stadium and bought something like that only larger.

800 million pounds & there's no roof & still a godawful shadow on Cup Final afternoon.

You can tell it wasn't their own money, can't you...

But if you moved it another 100 miles in the right direction, wouldn't it be on the Isle of Wight?

 

[winnits]

No, they could have razed Walsall to the ground and built it there, in a central location.

 

[Flaggers]

lol

 

[Flaggers]

Oh curse this forum not advising of a new reply while you're posting.....

 

[Marshall.]

Ewan can do it.

 

[TrickyTart]

London is the capital. Bright lights. Big city. No need for green eyes. I'd rather my big day out was there than some shit hole in the west midlands

 

[Erik]

London is the capital. Bright lights. Big city. No need for green eyes. I'd rather my big day out was there than some shit hole in the west midlands

Wembley is a shithole though. Albeit in London.

London is a shithole.

Apologies to those who live in or come from that part of the world but it's a f****** horrible place.

 

[Annesley Red]

I fancy an allotment again if they fail to grow flippin grass,
I can't beleive it !!

 

[RRRREDUN]

London? Nice to visit but even better to leave again. On the subject of the Wembley pitch, remember that our excellent head groundsman (Walsh??) was enticed to do the job there at the beginning and was sacked when the pitch started 'playing up'. Clearly a scapegoat.

 

[forestscott1]

My Grandad always used to joke after cutting is lawn "Looks like wembley that". Wish the poor old sod was still alive, he'd probably be right now !!!!

 

[Mist Rolling In...]

Just read on BBC Sport that there are plans to relay the pitch up to seven times a year, until 2023! Ridiculous. How can pitches that are played on once a fortnight manage a whole season, but the national stadium needs seven pitches a year? God knows how much ticket prices will be increased to pay for that.

(It was one of the BBC Sport understands things scrolling along the top, will put a link in if one appears.)

 

[The Maniacal Megatron]

Surely all this cutting up of the pitch would have been sorted out with a good, old-fashioned roller?

 

[Hoax]

Just a question. Why dont they grow the grass on site? why do they grow it somewhere else and move it?

 

[Deforest]

Surely all this cutting up of the pitch would have been sorted out with a good, old-fashioned roller?

.

They'll kick themselves when they read that.

 

[Daniel]

The problem as I understand is a simple one which the FA don't wish to admit to.

Due to the positioning and build of the stadium, no thought was taken into the air circulation around the pitch or in this case the lack of it. As it is now the airflow is restricted the pitch remains damp. To use an example where this problem was thought out, The emirates is slightly more spread out and is positioned to allow a generous circulation of air, thus they often have a perfect pitch...

 

[Deforest]

I think FC Schalke can send their pitch out under one of the stands to get some sun, wind and rain in a car park. Wiki says the pitch at the millenium stadium, cardiff is on 7,000 pallets which can be lifted and taken out for some air (or to allow events that dont need a grass pitch).