Fenlon slams surface standards

**Roo69** · 12/04/2005, 12:31 PM

Shelbourne manager Pat Fenlon feels that clubs around the country should have been able to do more to improve the standard of their playing pitches before the start of the new season. More

I take it that he has'nt seen the Carlisle so ? Consistantly the best playing surface in the league over the past 4 or 5 years.

**harry crumb** · 12/04/2005, 12:34 PM

It looked perfect on TV3 last night anyway.

Turners Cross is awful, as is Dalymount.

**pineapple stu** · 12/04/2005, 12:36 PM

Think it was the RSC looked very sandy as well last night? Or it could have been the Brandywell. The pitches are a disgrace this season though. Summer soccer was supposed to improve the surface quality, and instead you have beaches all over the league. I dread to see them later in the season... What's the story with this anyway? Are junior teams playing on the pitches off-season?

**Slash/ED** · 12/04/2005, 12:40 PM

Bohs rented Dalymount out to plenty of teams over the off season and as a result their pitch is a disgrace. I presume the other clubs did similar.

**pete** · 12/04/2005, 12:50 PM

I agree with Fenlon

for once. Most of the piches mentioned in bad shape will come good in a few weeks but thats not good enough. Ballybofey had great pitch for 1st game of season.

�We seem to be the only ones making an effort to get our pitch right � and that�s not right.�

I think Fenlon a bit rich suggesting this as i wouldn't say Tolka is normally one of the better surfaces.

**higgins** · 12/04/2005, 1:08 PM

From going to games and looking on TV Tolka is one of the best if the the best around at the moment...

Have you seen Tolka Pete ?
Might be wise to look at it before posting here. The pitch has been getting better every season since Fenlon came in so dont knock him on that one...

**�anna** · 12/04/2005, 1:10 PM

some pitches, turners cross included are brutal. but Fenlon can go fcuk himself with his crap about deducing points. who the hell does he think he is?

**higgins** · 12/04/2005, 1:13 PM

A decent playing surface should be part of licensing.... Either a fine, points deduction or get your license taking off you.
What would you prefer?

The standard this year is really really bad so far. Its not good for the league so what do you suggest? Sit back and hope nobody notices

Poor grounds are a big part of our crowd problem...

If nobody mentions it will it go away??

**Roo69** · 12/04/2005, 1:16 PM

It might be good now, but over the last few seasons it has been one of the worst due to flooding and letting other clubs play on it. It's a little bit rich him having ago seeing that his pitch is only just sorted out this season. Wait till we get a stint of bad weather, it'll cut up as usual like there no tomorrow !

**higgins** · 12/04/2005, 1:34 PM

Yes the pitch did suffer from the flooding and it was in a bad way then but you can hardly blame Ollie on the weather can ya

There was drainage system put in at the start of last year and the pitch had to be dug up for that so it took a while to come back to normal. I dont think it will cut up too bad anymore with that in place. Last season seemed to work very well with 2 teams on it and this year we seem to have offloaded dublin already.

What more can you do??

How many friendlies did Shels play at home this pre season?

**Slash/ED** · 12/04/2005, 5:49 PM

None.

And where did Fenlon mention deducting points?

**pineapple stu** · 12/04/2005, 5:59 PM

Incidentally - always wondered about this. Why is the area around the goal darker than the rest of the pitch? Is it a different type of grass or is it what it looks like - a carpet?! I think a couple of years ago the area around he goals was very worn in Tolka, and this covers it up, but it looks strange!

**higgins** · 12/04/2005, 8:30 PM

A carpet???

Are you messing?

It gets resurfaced every now and then to prevent the goals becomming bare. The grass doesnt match the other grass but Im sure you wont mind too much

Its better then a truck load of sand

**pete** · 12/04/2005, 8:47 PM

Typical shel$ crap. Always first to point the fingers at other & fans always back up their moaning manager & loonie chairman.

Tolka was sh!te was last couple of seasons cos ye were renting ground to 3 other teams.

I think Dalymount has consistently been the best pitch in recent years & Brandywell is usually very good too.

UCD (bobbly), Bray (mud) & Drogs (bobbly) are usually poor in 2nd half of season.

**higgins** · 13/04/2005, 9:55 AM

Tolka was nowhere near as bad to the current Dalymount and Turners Cross pitch?

What 3 teams did we rent to last year as a matter of interest. Im sure Ollie would be interested to know who used the pitch so we can get some rent.

**Roo69** · 13/04/2005, 10:31 AM

Originally Posted by pete

Typical shel$ crap. Always first to point the fingers at other & fans always back up their moaning manager & loonie chairman.

Tolka was sh!te was last couple of seasons cos ye were renting ground to 3 other teams.

I think Dalymount has consistently been the best pitch in recent years & Brandywell is usually very good too.

UCD (bobbly), Bray (mud) & Drogs (bobbly) are usually poor in 2nd half of season.

Well thats just plain STUPID ! Bray is one of the best pitchs in the league and has never turned muddy since we put the sprinklers and re-surfaced it about4/5 years ago. It has been like a carpet ever since for the duration of each season. We have even won awards for it !

Now Cork's pitch is no better than what i used to play on as a kid.

**skitz3** · 13/04/2005, 4:51 PM

Originally Posted by pete

Tolka was sh!te was last couple of seasons cos ye were renting ground to 3 other teams.

Who The hell were cork sh*tty renting your ground out to down there in the middle of nowhere, Not cobh ramblers as they have a better stadium than you

So then if cork sh*tty were not renting out there ground to anyone else, whats there excuse for a crap pitch over the last few seasons.Maybe it all the diving georgie does,probable in prepartion for the bog snorkling championships.

**S�C** · 13/04/2005, 4:59 PM

Originally Posted by skitz3

Who The hell were cork sh*tty renting your ground out to down there in the middle of nowhere, Not cobh ramblers as they have a better stadium than you

So then if cork sh*tty were not renting out there ground to anyone else, whats there excuse for a crap pitch over the last few seasons.Maybe it all the diving georgie does,probable in prepartion for the bog snorkling championships.

Or maybe the countless number of matches that MFA have played on it...City didnt play there in pre-season

**Longfordian** · 13/04/2005, 5:37 PM

Flancare's surface is usually fine, a little slow to drain sometimes but once it gets a couple of hours it's perfect again, no complaints from any teams that have played there recently anyway.

**pete** · 13/04/2005, 5:54 PM

Originally Posted by skitz3

Who The hell were cork sh*tty renting your ground out to down there in the middle of nowhere, Not cobh ramblers as they have a better stadium than you

So then if cork sh*tty were not renting out there ground to anyone else, whats there excuse for a crap pitch over the last few seasons.Maybe it all the diving georgie does,probable in prepartion for the bog snorkling championships.

We don't own our ground so our manager doesn't criticise other playing surfaces.