Two-star artifical pitch on stream at Marvin Lee Stadium.

[Flex]

Two-star artifical pitch on stream at Marvin Lee Stadium.
By: Shaun Fuentes (TTFF).[/size]

Trinidad and Tobago is set to become the first country in the CONCACAF region with a FIFA two-star artificial football pitch.
This was revealed by Arnoud Fiolet of European-based sports and leisure grass company Domo. Fiolet is currently in this country and on Tuesday completed an inspection of the Marvin Lee Stadium where the artificial playing surface is being laid.
The Belgium company, rated worldwide to be among the top three companies for artificial grass has been hired by FIFA to construct the pitch and have done similar jobs in Europe. Fiolet described the current one as a massive project as it will be the first of its kind in CONCACAF at a cost in excess of USD-600,000.
This is the second Goal Project  for Trinidad and Tobago following the construction of the Futsal Indoor playing facility at the Dr Joao Havelange Centre of Excellence last year.
This new pitch, according to Fiolet is expected to be completed and ready for playing in three months time which for Jack Warner as President of CONCACAF will be a boost for playing conditions not just locally but also in the region. The TTFF as well is excited over the new facility.
“This is a very important FIFA project. It’s a FIFA two-star pitch meaning that the highest quality of football can be played on this. There is a very limited number pf pitches in the world that are FIFA two-star and Trinidad is the first country in the CONCACAF to receive this. It is of utmost important and this is why officials from Doma have come here to ensure that everything goes to plan,” Fiolet told TTFF Media.
At present, he added that the project is at the sub-base stage which he described as “the most critical stage and then there’s one more layer of soil to be added. All the materials are already in the country including the grass which has to be laid down. We expect it to be ready in another three months.”
Fiolet mentioned that similar surfaces have been laid down in Norway, Holland and the United Kingdom.
A FIFA statement added “FIFA is very much in favour of the installation and use of artificial turf in climates and stadium microclimates where the maintenance and growth of natural grass is difficult. Many regions of the world suffer from extreme climatic conditions and as a result are often without adequate natural grass pitches. Likewise, the trend to build stadia with roofs and steep terraces for additional spectator comfort often creates an environment better suited to artificial turf.
“The newest generation of artificial surfaces combines the advantages of similar playing characteristics as natural turf, including increased player comfort and safety, with low maintenance and extended usage. The FIFA Quality Concept will identify those products of the newest generation specifically suited to football.
Also present at Tuesday’s inspection was Stefaan Rossel, junior project development for Domo, Medici Sports consultant director Eric Harrison as well as deputy FIFA Development Officer Daryll Warner, Brian Ibrahim of Terra Forma, the local contracting company involved in the project and Marvin Lee Stadium manager Neil Mollineau.

[DeSoWa]

Great news!! But ah wonder why they choose Marvin Lee stadium and not the HC 

Big Up!

[WestCoast]

look wha FIFA have to say
http://www.fifa.com/en/development/pitchsection/0,1245,5,00.html

[FF]

Great news!! But ah wonder why they choose Marvin Lee stadium and not the HC 

Big Up!

Grass is still the standard!!

And the Hasely Crawford is we main stadium...

[DeSoWa]

Great news!! But ah wonder why they choose Marvin Lee stadium and not the HC 

Big Up!

Grass is still the standard!!

And the Hasely Crawford is we main stadium...

Thanks for the info...buh dey should spend some ah that money to maintain the grass at HC..from what ah hear it real bad, especially for our main stadia.

Big Up!

[Sando]

Excellent news. I hope all the T&T teams get to train on this and Jack dont charge them an admission fee.

Turf will develop some of our players speed and control.

Big Up Jack !!!!!!

[Mango Chow!]

Excellent news. I hope all the T&T teams get to train on this and Jack dont charge them an admission fee.

Turf will develop some of our players speed and control.

Big Up Jack !!!!!!

  Ha!! Wishful thinkin, Padnah.  Jack would charge he own mudder an admission fee to hell if he was.....really....de devil.   

[Bally]

FIFA Development Officer Daryll Warner
What DE F$%K This man have he son in de mix know next thing he will take over TTFF when Camps gone

[trinbago]

I am just thankful we are getting one  ......

Wasn't there talk of making either Ato or the Marvin Lee the new national stadium !!

[WestCoast]

I am just thankful we are getting one  ......
Wasn't there talk of making either Ato or the Marvin Lee the new national stadium !!

leh we wait an see if UNC get eeeen next year 

[Touches]

Great now we can prepare properly for our next Saprissa visit and when we have tournaments in the US and Canada.

Bally.......I thought it was only me who see dat job title dey.

[Warrior30]

I hope they fix de stupid STANDS to so de dam beams and dem dont block yuh.

[fishs]

Ah sure if allyuh do ah check yuh going to see that the contracting company TERRA FORMA is another Jack company.
De travel agency that bringing de techs to lay de surface is Simpauls.
De taxi service and car rental company dey going to be using belong to Darryl.
De roti dey going to be eating fuh lunch is from sweet mouth (Daryll catering company).
An de jamette dey going to spen all dey money on is from de ho house on Warner st Arouca. 

[superoli]

we play on that pitch here in the 5 a side league.  They call it 5th generation turf in England and I must say it is real good ! it plays like grass and you dont get burn everytime you fall

[Coop's]

I'm not trying to be negative here just making some points,first of all it's nice for us to have an artificial pitch,my only wish is that they will got have any fete on it,mentain and make proper us of it.

While it's nice to have artificial turf i want who have never had the experience of playing on it to know it's a different ball game/feel,it's a big difference from when you play on grass,it takes more out of players(wear and tear),i find it's slower than natural grass.

Sometimes i wonder if all these stadiums and fields improving the quality of our Football,will it be better if we can spend some of that money on some development programs for our players/coaches,one good thing is that we getting a lot of tournaments in T&T but what's bad is that we are struggleing to win games.   

[duscam]

cost 600,00 so 400,000 fo rjack and 200000 to install..

[rippin]

I'm not trying to be negative here just making some points,first of all it's nice for us to have an artificial pitch,my only wish is that they will got have any fete on it,mentain and make proper us of it.

While it's nice to have artificial turf i want who have never had the experience of playing on it to know it's a different ball game/feel,it's a big difference from when you play on grass,it takes more out of players(wear and tear),i find it's slower than natural grass.

Sometimes i wonder if all these stadiums and fields improving the quality of our Football,will it be better if we can spend some of that money on some development programs for our players/coaches,one good thing is that we getting a lot of tournaments in T&T but what's bad is that we are struggleing to win games.   

Coops my understanding from the article is that Fifa footing the bill. The benefits of having a Vice pres as your "Special advisor."

I really hope that they doh have no fete on it.

[superoli]

I find while not the same as grass it is pretty dam close now, not like turf of old when it was like playing on carpet.
It defintely improves the standard of play as you dont have to watch the ball onto your foot in case it bobbles up 

[Mr Mc]

I'm not trying to be negative here just making some points,first of all it's nice for us to have an artificial pitch,my only wish is that they will got have any fete on it,mentain and make proper us of it.

While it's nice to have artificial turf i want who have never had the experience of playing on it to know it's a different ball game/feel,it's a big difference from when you play on grass,it takes more out of players(wear and tear),i find it's slower than natural grass.

Sometimes i wonder if all these stadiums and fields improving the quality of our Football,will it be better if we can spend some of that money on some development programs for our players/coaches,one good thing is that we getting a lot of tournaments in T&T but what's bad is that we are struggleing to win games.   

the last time i played on turf, maybe in 1999, it was like carpet on top of concrete.
it was fass as heck, when you pass that ball on the ground it moving, and when the ball bounce, it going high.
but yuh knees felt torn up the next day.

I too would like to see some money spent on football development, even if its taking some local neighbourhood filelds, making them level, with some nice grass, a lil movable bleechers for folks to sit. that aint go cost no setta money

[Coop's]

I find while not the same as grass it is pretty dam close now, not like turf of old when it was like playing on carpet.
It defintely improves the standard of play as you dont have to watch the ball onto your foot in case it bobbles up 

       While it may definitely improve the standard of play i would not have my players get used to playing on it as Football all over the world is mainly played on Grass,playing on fields that are unpredictable is all part of the game,skills you develope on them can never be developed on turf fields.

[Touches]

nah anyhow yuh put it Marvin Lee field was never a good field.

It used to be a swamp when it rained and a hard dust bowl.

I think as so much going on the the COE a proper field was needed at all times.

This is a definite improvement from the field that exists currently.

[Coop's]

I'm not trying to be negative here just making some points,first of all it's nice for us to have an artificial pitch,my only wish is that they will got have any fete on it,mentain and make proper us of it.

While it's nice to have artificial turf i want who have never had the experience of playing on it to know it's a different ball game/feel,it's a big difference from when you play on grass,it takes more out of players(wear and tear),i find it's slower than natural grass.

Sometimes i wonder if all these stadiums and fields improving the quality of our Football,will it be better if we can spend some of that money on some development programs for our players/coaches,one good thing is that we getting a lot of tournaments in T&T but what's bad is that we are struggleing to win games.   

the last time i played on turf, maybe in 1999, it was like carpet on top of concrete.
it was fass as heck, when you pass that ball on the ground it moving, and when the ball bounce, it going high.
but yuh knees felt torn up the next day.

I too would like to see some money spent on football development, even if its taking some local neighbourhood filelds, making them level, with some nice grass, a lil movable bleechers for folks to sit. that aint go cost no setta money

       You are correct if you played on it in 1999 because i played on it before you and that was in the 70's so you can imagine how it was then,we played against the NY Cosmos in Giants Stadium,it was very difficult to run on,may be it was because we were so used to Grass.I found it very hard to play on never liked it.
         Recently i saw them put one down in Northern Va and it seems as though a lot of study has gone into it,it's now laid on a special type of dirt and the turf material has a bit of sponge in it so when you step on it you get the feeling of natural Grass.

[KND2]

They take on of the best grass fields in trinidad ...Lever brothers grounds and turn it into a mud patch. marvin lee stadium.

Now they gone and put artificial turf on it.

if you cannot grow grass in a climate where it is 85 degrees year round and ample rain fall or water then artificial turf is not the solution.

When will we design a football field with adequate drainage.
With Automatic Sprinklier systems

It is all about proper maintainance.


I hope FIFA deduct the money they spent on the grass field just 5-10 years ago when they built this stadium from the cost to come and relay over a new artificial turf.

 

[Sam]

This is great, one they can maintain it. And KND is right, we build new stadiums and have de weather to grow nice grass and this is not to be, while countries that is cold like England, Italy, Spain and Scotland have real nice fields. The person who build them stadiums should get shot, unless Jack cut cost and pocket de rest and then in return get he sons to get the contract from the government to maintain it, build it poorly so many will get work...

Thank God Jack dont have a hand in that new Brian Lara stadium or else we screwed for years, even though we getting screwed now, but this is a short term screw, when Jack done with yuh is long term, he will die and the TTFF will still be paying him in deaths....

Turf will benefit our lazy, slow, skill-less players alot.

[Mango Chow!]

Artificial turf is a long term, orthopaedic nightmare.  It is not a surface conducive to playing football, no matter how smooth and level it is.  Even the newer, more technologically advanced surfaces, when subject to poor maintainance, (a phenomenon we can BANK on in T&T) develop seams and undulation that trip and injure players and the surface is not as "giving" as natural grass and soil, not to mention the long-term effect on the joints from running on what is basically carpet in concrete.  Imagine having to train goalkeepers at all ages over a duration of a few years, subjecting them to throwing their bodies around and suffering the impact of constantly diving and rolling on artificial surface.  Injuries are imminent.  Enjoy it, folks.

[Coop's]

Wait until Carnival and you will realize what the artificial turf is being put down for,our Stadiums don't have grass because they are not properly utilized,in the US from the time the weather set up they cancelling games,i remember a facility where you could not wear screws.

How will it benifit Football in T&T,how often our players/teams will practice/train/play on it?remember we talking about one turf field to serve the nation,what tournaments you think will play on it?i guess it will be the home of Joe Public.   

[Mango Chow!]

Wait until Carnival and you will realize what the artificial turf is being put down for,our Stadiums don't have grass because they are not properly utilized,in the US from the time the weather set up they cancelling games,i remember a facility where you could not wear screws.

How will it benifit Football in T&T,how often our players/teams will practice/train/play on it?remember we talking about one turf field to serve the nation,what tournaments you think will play on it?i guess it will be the home of Joe Public.   

    Ah hear dat.