Sepp Blatter backs 'plastic' World Cup

[E-man]

Artificial turf a 2010 Cup option
By Farayi Mungazi
BBC Sport, Accra

Fifa president Sepp Blatter says the 2010 World Cup in South Africa could be played on artificial pitches.

"We have envisaged, though it's not yet a final decision, that the 2010 World Cup could be played on artificial turf," Blatter told BBC Sport.

And Blatter also suggested future Africa Cup of Nations tournaments should be played on artificial turf.

"I think it's now time in this region to think about artificial turf," said the head of football's governing body.

Many players and coaches dislike artificial pitches arguing the surface is disadvantageous to teams that are not used to playing on them.

In October England struggled in a crucial Euro 2008 qualifier against Russia in Moscow, losing 2-1 on an aritificial pitch.

Under the "Win in Africa with Africa" project, Fifa is laying an artificial pitch in all 53 of its member countries on the continent, with the exception of South Africa.

Playing surfaces in many African countries can be badly affected during the rainy and dry seasons.

"An artificial pitch gives you the same conditions during the whole year," said Blatter, who expressed his concern over the quality of the 2008 Nations Cup pitches in Ghana.

"I've followed with a lot of interest most of the matches of this competition, and I have to say that African football is at a very high level," he said.

"What I've not not liked so much is the turf, especially in Accra - the grass is too high.

"Artificial turf is a solution to the owners of stadiums - you can use it more than just once a week, you can use it for other sports.

"I think it's better than uneven ground, where control of the ball not easy."

Pitches aside, Blatter was satisfied by Ghana's hosting of the Nations Cup, despite problems with ticketing, transport and hotels.

"I think the organisation was not so bad - we should not be so critical," he said.


JW who is in Nigeria inspecting for the 2009 U-17 WC is also saying some of those pitches will be made plastic.

Nigeria: FIFA Considers Artificial Turf for Nigeria'09

[Ponnoxx]

 Yeah plastic turf and it hot out there..Blatter doesn't tired support Bull...A real ground is part of the game...uneven turf is what football about...let the players work hard to make an impact and a good tournament ....this artifical turf is nonsense in my eye

[PantherX]

It's easy to say that when you don't live an area where the climate makes it very difficult to have a natural surface or where it's would be hard to justify the use of the large quantity of water needed to maintain it.

Sometimes common sense has to take precedence over romantic ideals.

[asylumseeker]

Point taken E-man. However, it seems to me that there may be a knowledge gap in field preparation that could also solve the problem.

I've followed with a lot of interest most of the matches of this competition, and I have to say that African football is at a very high level," he said.

"What I've not not liked so much is the turf, especially in Accra - the grass is too high.

[E-man]

Point taken E-man. However, it seems to me that there may be a knowledge gap in field preparation that could also solve the problem.

I've followed with a lot of interest most of the matches of this competition, and I have to say that African football is at a very high level," he said.

"What I've not not liked so much is the turf, especially in Accra - the grass is too high.

Like a lawn mower.

[Deeks]

The Turf field that is certified by FiFA is a lot different than the Astro-turf of yesteryear. It is a bit spongy. My biggest gripe with the old time astro-turf was the bruises players would get when they fall or slide tackle. I have only walked about on the new type. Never played and pelt ah slide tackle on this new type. But a lot or inner city schools are going to the new Turf-field. Of course FIFA will  make money on their certified Turf-field. The verdict is still out on this new type of field. The African countries should invest in turf, especially for the youths.

[Daft Trini]

Boy I hate dem artificial turf fields. A few years when I use to sweat with de Johns Hopkins Graduate Students Union on Homewood Field, I use to have some serious ankle, knees and hip soreness de day after. Plus de groin use to hurt... not good for a then recently couple...

I find de ball does move real fast... and I can transition into playing in dem turf shoes... I have to play in blade or studs....  

all in all ah doh support it...

[Mango Chow!]

......wait nuh...sepp ever used to play dis' game?? As ponnoxx say, he does always be comin' up wit dese gross ideas and he reallyseem to be pushin' this astro-turf idea real hard (smell like kickbacks, eh WestCoast? something I'm sure you can gleefully rub your hands amd remenisce about) and he has been using the youth World Cups to work it into our psyche.  Even with the new technologies and the "improved" surfaces that we see poppin' up all around the inner cities, the game becomes a different game when you play on artificial surfaces and that difference  is then...........magnified when the surface becomes wet.  sepp need to hush he ass and leave the game to be played on the best surface it is suited to be played on: GRASS!!   

[E-man]

There was a time when FIFA officials used to go off on special missions to Holland to look at real grass. They were called the "Turf Competence Team" and they would fly to this secret farm in the Netherlands where the grass was grown and make sure it was ok. Maybe they ran around barefoot on it. Not sure, but there is a joke in there somewhere about Amsterdam and "inspecting the grass."

Anyway now all of a sudden it's all about artificial turf.

I guess it's all about which grower or producer has the more slippery grease on hand.

[asylumseeker]

Point taken E-man. However, it seems to me that there may be a knowledge gap in field preparation that could also solve the problem.

I've followed with a lot of interest most of the matches of this competition, and I have to say that African football is at a very high level," he said.

"What I've not not liked so much is the turf, especially in Accra - the grass is too high.

Like a lawn mower.

Nah buh in all seriousness ... someone in SM's thread about calling de stadium, pointed out it appears is jes sand dey throwing to "remedy" some scenarios  ... we have experts in preparing a pitch for cricket and i think for years there were issues about the outfield ...even on grass there is a world of technology at play below the surface in terms of irrigation and other concerns ...

I'm sure that in the African context iz jes fields without the subterra complex below ... we have several fields like that in the Caribbean. Clearly dahs a gap that has to be bridged regardless of climate.

[kicker]

Boy I hate dem artificial turf fields. A few years when I use to sweat with de Johns Hopkins Graduate Students Union on Homewood Field, I use to have some serious ankle, knees and hip soreness de day after. Plus de groin use to hurt... not good for a then recently couple...

I find de ball does move real fast... and I can transition into playing in dem turf shoes... I have to play in blade or studs....  

all in all ah doh support it...

That turf up at JHU is nothing close to the quality of the artificial surfaces used at the highest level.....The feel of modern turf fields is very close to grass and are compatible with regular "cleats"...The major differences is what's beneath the playing surface- ususally it's a rubber & carbon kinda mix that has a different feel and an unnatural give when compared to soil........but I hear yuh, I played against JHU up on their field and it was always a pressure scene if you were used to playing on grass...

[ttcom]

Boy I hate dem artificial turf fields. A few years when I use to sweat with de Johns Hopkins Graduate Students Union on Homewood Field, I use to have some serious ankle, knees and hip soreness de day after. Plus de groin use to hurt... not good for a then recently couple...

I find de ball does move real fast... and I can transition into playing in dem turf shoes... I have to play in blade or studs....  

all in all ah doh support it...

That turf up at JHU is nothing close to the quality of the artificial surfaces used at the highest level.....The feel of modern turf fields is very close to grass and are compatible with regular "cleats"...The major differences is what's beneath the playing surface- ususally it's a rubber & carbon kinda mix that has a different feel and an unnatural give when compared to soil........but I hear yuh, I played against JHU up on their field and it was always a pressure scene if you were used to playing on grass...

Go to Prospect Park and try the turf.

[KND2]

the speed of the game is differerent on Turf.
for a world cup they should be able to afford some good grass fields.

if they want to build turf fields in communities in africa to cost cost go ahead but is millions of dollars passing for world cup, they least they could do is spend some money on a good grass field.

Ronaldo spanner not working on turf like how it does work on grass.