I see Ross County are having a wee moan for the sake of moaning because Chris Sutton has dared to suggest that their pitch is in less than perfect condition for our coming visit.
The thing is, he’s entirely right to say that because their pitch is a disgraceful state. It’s like a ploughed field, and whilst that might suit the type of football their manager wants to play it does not enhance the spectacle for the viewing public.
I recognise, as we all do, that we don’t live in a tropical climate here. Pitches get soggy and muddy and they cut up and make it hard for good teams to play. This is the reality of Scotland, where the average rainfall is measured in pints.
Still, there are clubs which simply don’t regard keeping the pitch in good nick as a priority. Yes, there are financial considerations to take into account, and we’d all rather watch Celtic play on even the worst grass pitch than on the best plastic one … but still, when you look at the mess Ross County’s playing surface is in, it’s no wonder Sutton is raging.
There ought to be a minimum standard beyond which clubs get fined. It isn’t right that we should have to go and play on a surface that bad. Ross County have an absolute cheek to criticise Sutton because he’s had his say on it.
What he said shouldn’t have needed said. If Ross County had their act together he wouldn’t have needed to make any comment on it at all.
This is a massive game that’s about to be played on that surface, a team vying for the title, in a live televised match.
What a terrible advert for Scottish football that is.
Am I stupid ??? Or is it James ??? County pitch is deliberate… Why not simply say ??? It’s to stop footballing teams.. to level up … It’s a tactic
As long as standards are not defined fair enough.. but pish all the same… Myself I cannot believe pitch size got so much flexibility
There is bigger issues in Scottish football than the state of the most northerly teams pitch. Professional footballers should be capable of playing on any surface. The Lions managed it to win 5 trophies one season not one game. Don’t talk px@s Sutton.
Nah, you’re either a professional club or you aren’t. If you can’t provide a professional pitch, then you don’t get to be called professional. Make it mandatory that the pitch has to be playable like every other country on the planet. If you can’t, then get an expensive plastic one.
Lets not start looking for excuses before the games been played.If we turn up and play to our capabilities then we will win the game easily.
3 nil half time game done take the big players off.
A rougher pitch isn’t ideal, but there are ways to play on it. For me I’d take us on Dingwall at the sowing season before I’d go to the postage stamp of Tynecastle.
James has obviously never actually seen a ploughed field! County’s pitch is a lawn in comparison!
There is a minimum standard – plastic Livi type plastic pitches that causes injuries time and time again