The Professor a cuss like ************************...

[DiGlor]

seh how dem mash up the stadium field with the Grand Gala that took place there. CVM and TVJ showed a hole that I presumed was dug out by stray dogs and he said it may be his grave when John Public start cuss him out for any failures that may come because of the very poor state of the stadium pitch.

The field really look bad.

[Mosiah]

that's one thing, but how do you explain 4 or 5 different types of grass (weed?) on the field?

[Reggae-Fan]

We are not serious about football. It makes ABSOLUTELY no sense we even invest millions in coaching staff, sign big equipment contract with Kappa etc when we, as a country, cant even afford to maintain a single patch of grass on the entire nation. The JFF must play an active role in the supervisoin of the stadium pitch, as it seems they are the ones who's interest in serves the most out of all the sporting bodies in the nation....especially this time of year. How darn expensive it is to pay someone to attend to the field? How expensive is fetrliiser in Jamaica? Are we that POOR that we cant afford water to water the pitch daily? The same guy that takes care of Sabina Park, why cant the nationalk stadium benefit from his expertise as well?

I for one will not be surprised when The FIFA inspection team returns and ban the stadium from hosting international games. Didnt the mayor of Kingston recently identify a number of fire violations at the venue? Did they have those corrected yet?

And what are stray dogs in the national stadium? Is the stadium open and accessible to the wider public just so? So what if we turn up at the office one day for a WCQ game and find out the the pitch was "vandlaised" teh night before by people from the opposing team in order to avoid them having to play there?

Burrell should start looking at options to play our home games in the US....since we dont protect the stadium facility.

[Mosiah]

Burrell should start looking at options to play our home games in the US....since we dont protect the stadium facility.

That just might happen!

I have been watching and documenting the continued regression of the stadium field ever since that wonderful resurfacing about 4 (?) years ago. We are going right back to those days when teams don't even bother to try and play on that field, fearing injury.

I guess that might be the plan. That's how we qualified for France!

[OJ]

There is more grass at Cathereing hall... They can do it again.. Or better yet install field turf and then simoes can wet it all he wants.. Or better yet Fire the administration of who ever is running the stadium fields ..

[pHoQrY]

Simoes seh di man dem caaan use Grand Gala as no excuse fi di poor state a di field...suh how DiGlor seh di man seh a di Grand Gala mash up di field...mine enuh...propogandism

Man right fi a cuss ******************** ofcourse, joke ting.

[Mosiah]

Yes, heard some people totally misquoting the man, a talk bout him a dis wi Emancipendence Celebrations. He did nothing of the sort.

Simoes says he saw the detioration when he came here in January and it has been downhill since so people must stop trying to mek it look like di field only start mash up since di Grand Gala.

[Assasin]

Him need fi go tell Bruce cause it seems like only him one will take action.

[Me]

Simoes bemoans state of National Stadium

Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter


René Simoes has had mixed results since returning to Jamaica as technical director in January. - Ricardo Makyn

The current state of the football pitch at the National Stadium continues to be a major sore point for Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) technical director, René Simoes, as the below par surface forced an abbreviated training session at the venue yesterday.

A couple of sprints, sideline drills for the custodians and a rag-tag scrimmage game yesterday was about all the condition of the field allowed the team, which is looking to step up its preparations ahead of the start of a difficult semi-final round of World Cup qualifiers.

The 22-man squad could only use half the pitch, which still showed the effects of the recent Independence Day celebrations.

"The field is a disgrace, it's worse than it was in the '90s and millions of dollars have been invested in refurbishing it since then. Someone does not know what they are doing," Simoes told journalists at the end of yesterday's training session.

"It is getting worse, now there is a grave in 18-yard area, I don't know, it must be to bury me if we don't qualify. They must really hate football," he added.

There were uneven patches of grass which littered the uneven surface and a sand-filled hole measuring approximately four feet, just inside the penalty box area. It was surrounded by flat cones as markers throughout the practice session.

Unacceptable

The Brazilian also refused to accept arguments that the field's state of unpreparedness was due to last week's festivities.

"They have these things on fields all over the world, it can't be used as an excuse," he said. "I have been complaining about the state of the pitch since February and nothing has been done."

With Jamaica's first home game of the qualifiers against Mexico on September 6 another cause of concern for the technical director is that the field will be closed close to that period, which could force the team to travel to Brancourt in Clarendon to find suitable training facilities.

"I am worried that it will be closed for repairs sometime close to that (Mexico) game. This will force us to travel out of town. The time travelling there and back, plus training, could see us spend up to six hours for one session," he noted.

Currently, the all local-based team is staying at the player residence on Shortwood Road. The team will return to Brancourt tomorrow, where they will play another practice game against National Premier League champions Portmore United. On Monday, they hammered NPL team Waterhouse 5-1 at the Clarendon venue.

[pHoQrY]

show di image to man...boy!