$1.5 million spent to upgrade HC Stadium.

[Flex]

$1.5 million spent to upgrade HC Stadium.
By: Nigel Simon (Guardian).[/size]

Anton Corneal, assistant coach of the T&T “Soca Warriors” has applauded the staff of the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo for getting the playing surface up to standard for Sunday’s friendly international versus England.

The ‘Soca Warriors’ had a two-hour session at the match venue on Tuesday ahead of Sunday’s match with the English, dubbed, ‘A Score To Settle.’

The venue’s management is sure to find great relief in Corneal’s comments, especially after the field was heavily criticised by Fifa vice-president and T&T Football Federation special advisor, Austin Jack Warner after a visit by members of the English FA over a month ago.

Back then Warner and the FA officials collected almost a full plastic bag of debris from the field which included broken pieces of glass bottle and nails from the surface.

Warner had stated that the England FA would not allow their players to play on that type of surface as they were all insured for huge sums of money by their respective clubs and if they were to get injured, the TTFF would have been at risk of lawsuits.

The T&TFF special advisor then noted that the game was in jeopardy if the field was not brought up to standard.

In addition, Warner also pointed out that there was a need to improve the dressing rooms and replace some of the seating.

Contacted yesterday, Natasha Nunez, communications specialist with the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs confirmed that the Ministry had spent close to $1.5 million in refurbishing the HC Stadium, which included upgrading of the training field and main playing field ahead of the England encounter.

“Special platforms for television cameras and improvement to the existing media boots have also been completed ahead of the match,” added Nunez.

[FLi !]

$1.5 million spent to upgrade HC Stadium.
By: Nigel Simon (Guardian).[/size]

Back then Warner and the FA officials collected almost a full plastic bag of debris from the field which included broken pieces of glass bottle and nails from the surface.

I'm sorry, but that is very alarming and embarrassing! Is this the surface that our players have been playing on !?! This is our NATIONAL STADIUM with glass and nails on the playing surface!?!

What's even more pathetic is that it took an external body to come and identify problems what should have been easily spotted and rectified a long time ago

[Jah Gol]

Is it normal for FA officials to inspect pitches before scheduling matches ?

[Themanfriday]

$1.5 million spent to upgrade HC Stadium.
By: Nigel Simon (Guardian).[/size]

Back then Warner and the FA officials collected almost a full plastic bag of debris from the field which included broken pieces of glass bottle and nails from the surface.

I'm sorry, but that is very alarming and embarrassing! Is this the surface that our players have been playing on !?! This is our NATIONAL STADIUM with glass and nails on the playing surface!?!

What's even more pathetic is that it took an external body to come and identify problems what should have been easily spotted and rectified a long time ago

De man never specify how big de plastic bag was.  Allyuh forget is W(ho)arner we talking bout here. I sure is a lil glad ziploc bag

[redtrinigirl]

Well if they came for that inspection after carnival what did you expect? True is pure slackness not to have that all cleaned up as soon as the carnival season was over, but still, that is the only explanation. And I sure it wasn't no last month they did that visit.

[spideybuff]

$1.5 million spent to upgrade HC Stadium.
By: Nigel Simon (Guardian).[/size]

Back then Warner and the FA officials collected almost a full plastic bag of debris from the field which included broken pieces of glass bottle and nails from the surface.

I'm sorry, but that is very alarming and embarrassing! Is this the surface that our players have been playing on !?! This is our NATIONAL STADIUM with glass and nails on the playing surface!?!

What's even more pathetic is that it took an external body to come and identify problems what should have been easily spotted and rectified a long time ago

Come nah man...U've been in the stadium field nuff time. U know that is an exaggeration. Even if there was a fete the night b4, they cover the grass area with those sponge like things to walk on. Doh fall for the hype and propaganda. For all we know, is probably the same people inspecting the place who was drinking a beer that fall and break on the field!

I may have to advise the Stadium management to come out and confirm or deny these claims cause they too soft to do that without Gary Hunt doing it for them

[Small Magician aka Wazza]

Umm..That is allyuh f**king Job!.....  Is de Gov't Stadium.. Dey have to keep it at a top level at all times...


Congrats on fixing it... but maintain it...

[FLi !]

$1.5 million spent to upgrade HC Stadium.
By: Nigel Simon (Guardian).[/size]

Back then Warner and the FA officials collected almost a full plastic bag of debris from the field which included broken pieces of glass bottle and nails from the surface.

I'm sorry, but that is very alarming and embarrassing! Is this the surface that our players have been playing on !?! This is our NATIONAL STADIUM with glass and nails on the playing surface!?!

What's even more pathetic is that it took an external body to come and identify problems what should have been easily spotted and rectified a long time ago

Come nah man...U've been in the stadium field nuff time. U know that is an exaggeration. Even if there was a fete the night b4, they cover the grass area with those sponge like things to walk on. Doh fall for the hype and propaganda. For all we know, is probably the same people inspecting the place who was drinking a beer that fall and break on the field!

I may have to advise the Stadium management to come out and confirm or deny these claims cause they too soft to do that without Gary Hunt doing it for them

perhaps it is an exaggeration to force the hand of the gov't to initiate repairs.

It would be interesting to see how that 1.5 was spent, i.e. how much went to field upgrade and how much went to press facilities and dressing room upgrade.

In any event, loads of money was spent to relay the track a few years back and if as has been the trend in the past that we've been interested in hosting international events such as Hampton games and the U-17 WC, some attention should have paid to the neglected areas to bring it up to int'l standard.

[FLi !]

JUST GREAT!

OH SH^T SKYSPORTS News just lambasted the state of the stadium as it was in February.

They had unlimited access to the stadium and showed the footage of leaking showers and bathrooms, tiles falling down in the dressing room, they laugh at the man cutting the grass with a lawnmower, they show loads of broken seats in the covered stands

They preface the report by stating that after playing in the luxurious conditions of Wembley, Rio Ferdinand and company will have to endure this....

when the came back from the report, the commentator bawl...'what a stadium'.

[Small Magician aka Wazza]

JUST GREAT!

SKYSPORTS News showing pictures of the sub-standard pitch and commenting on it !

Recent photo's?  or piks of it a few months ago..?

Any which way..who gives a f**k what Sky Sports thinks... If dey want it to perfect quality they should send a groundstaff lol

[weary1969]

So d pitch substandard and dey agree 2 come when dey c d bottle. FSC just like d fans dey upset that d FA bow 2 TTT

[FLi !]

So d pitch substandard and dey agree 2 come when dey c d bottle. FSC just like d fans dey upset that d FA bow 2 TTT

This ain't FSC taking the feed from SKYSPORTS. This is SKYSPORTS and it's one of the top stories of the day, being repeated for everyone in England to see every 15 minutes....

Even if it is old footage from February, they should not have been allowed to film  it for those purposes, if it was agreed that improvements were to be made.

All my efforts over the years here in England to advocate TnT as a credible and developed footballing nation undermined....

[Small Magician aka Wazza]

So d pitch substandard and dey agree 2 come when dey c d bottle. FSC just like d fans dey upset that d FA bow 2 TTT

This ain't FSC taking the feed from SKYSPORTS. This is SKYSPORTS and it's one of the top stories of the day, being repeated for everyone in England to see every 15 minutes....

Even if it is old footage from February, they should not have been allowed to film  it for those purposes, if it was agreed that improvements were to be made.

LOL when they see the Pitch on Sunday looking good they will be like How the f**k did they fix that shit so fast ...

[weary1969]

FLi d point is dat peeps vex dat d game happening so dey go say dat d water make dey belly runnnnnnnn.

[Small Magician aka Wazza]

Anyone have an online feed of skysports news?    like a sopcast channel ?

[FLi !]

FLi d point is dat peeps vex dat d game happening so dey go say dat d water make dey belly runnnnnnnn.

I don't think Skysports cares whether the game goes ahead or not. They just there to report what is the news at the time. They always like to make the pitch the issue.

It was highlighted twice in Moscow, first with the artificial pitch against England and second with the rushed turf in the recent champions league final. In both instances, the pitch was a non issue and that will likely be the situation here.

However, in the interim, all anyone seeing and believing is the appalling conditions of the stadium facilities in February. And to be honest the stadium should never have been in those conditions.

I may have to advise the Stadium management to come out and confirm or deny these claims cause they too soft to do that without Gary Hunt doing it for them

Spidey ma boy, I don't see how the stadium management could justify those conditions I just saw, so you wanna might advise them to stay quiet.

[weary1969]

Dey have a new stadia policy so hopefully with emphasis on hopefully dat it eh go happen again

[Bakes]

I mihself thought that "plastic bag full of debris" thing was likely an exaggeration.  I missed the SkySports broadcast...but it's coming back on in half an hour, following this 3rd place Toulon match between C'ote Ivoire and Japan.  There simply cannot be any reason for the stadium to be in the state of disrepair as described.  I seriously hope they upgrade the locker facilities.  Dey have hot water in dem pipes? 

[spideybuff]

JUST GREAT!

OH SH^T SKYSPORTS News just lambasted the state of the stadium as it was in February.

They had unlimited access to the stadium and showed the footage of leaking showers and bathrooms, tiles falling down in the dressing room, they laugh at the man cutting the grass with a lawnmower, they show loads of broken seats in the covered stands

They preface the report by stating that after playing in the luxurious conditions of Wembley, Rio Ferdinand and company will have to endure this....

when the came back from the report, the commentator bawl...'what a stadium'.

As long as u note that the criticism was leveled at the facilities at the stadium...not the pitch. We all know that all our stadiums are like that (have broken chairs, poor washrooms where at least one toilet not working, untiled areas and unpainted areas. At least they couldn't 'film' the stench of pee on the walls) we just blidn to it because that is normal to us.

At the same time, how many clubs in the UK with a 20,000 seater stadium can compare their stadia to a newly refurbished Wembley? Less than 10% I will wager.

The english need to find news stories since they not in Euro 2008, so they looking for anything. That is what the media does and why they need permission to film anywhere which is the main point: why were they allowed to brign cameras in?

For CWC and in my current job, you have to specify where any camera could go and make sure the area was perfect. Basic conditions for dealing with the press. This is what Fuentes need to be studying instead of what Jack have him wasting time fighting against.

[kandi_tt]

pics...

http://www.socawarriors.net/forum/index.php?topic=36243.0