Redknapp says wrong to use astroturf in Champions League
Artificial pitches should not be used in the Champions League, Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp said on Tuesday after his side lost 3-2 in their playoff first leg against Swiss side Young Boys.
|Last Updated: Aug 18, 2010, 08:59 AM IST|Source: Bureau
London: Artificial pitches should not be used in the Champions League, Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp said on Tuesday after his side lost 3-2 in their playoff first leg against Swiss side Young Boys.
Tottenham were caught cold on the astroturf surface in the Stade de Suisse, trailing 3-0 after 28 minutes before hauling themselves back into the tie with goals by Sebastien Bassong and Roman Pavlyuchenko.
Redknapp made several changes to his team from the one that started the Premier League match at home to Manchester City on Saturday, afterwards saying that he had not wanted to risk some of his players on the surface.
He also lost Luka Modric and Jermain Defoe during an enthralling tie which is delicately poised going into the second leg in London next Wednesday.
"I couldn`t say its a preferred surface," Redknapp told reporters. "It`s a good pitch but you have to get used to playing on it. It`s not an excuse.”
"I played on astroturf and hated every minute of it. We had it at QPR but we don`t have it any more in England and personally I don`t agree with it and I don`t think astroturf should be used in a competition like this."
Goals by Senad Lulic, Henri Bienvenu and Xavier Hochstrasser seemed to have turned Tottenham`s Champions League dream into a nightmare on the slick surface.
"I had a feeling yesterday about today," Redknapp said. "I had a nasty feeling. I kept looking at the players training on the pitch and they didn`t look happy.”
"I had four players out because they weren`t comfortable on the pitch in training. Aaron Lennon wasn`t comfortable, Robbie Keane had a problem with his knee and Tom Huddlestone, the last time he played on astroturf he was out for six weeks."The FIFA-approved astroturf in the Stade de Suisse, one of the most environmentally friendly stadiums in the world, was laid in 2006 to enable the club to increase revenue by using it for a range of purposes.
Bureau Report
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.