Waghorn out for 6 weeks

[der Berliner 3,283]

The sad thing is, that during the press conference for the Doonhamers game, 13.17 mins of the 14.55 were spend on questions about the Killie pitch and his opinions on plastic pitches in general. He gave them all that there is to know, cited research of 700 Scottish players' opinion on such pitches, said time and again that this has not much to do with Killie's pitch as such, and how even the poorer English sides refrain from using them. Yet, the journos - despite knowing that he's right and probably think so too - go on and on and on, turning it into essentially negative Rangers headlines vs Killie again. You do wonder what Clark actually said and how it turned out on black & white. A "twisted story" wrought out of sensible debate and comments, just for the sake of it. And then they call for "freedom of the media" ...

Edited February 20, 2016 by der Berliner

[trublusince1982 243]

must be a lot of jurno's with a vested interest in plastic parks! Why are they so against anyone speaking ill of them.? very strange

 

Standing at the game the other night the park brought a lot of perspective to the game and i don't mean in a good way. It made me realise how poor a professional side killie must be when they cannot afford a grass park or even manage to 3/4 fill two stands at their own ground. Looking at their squad i doubt they're is a player in their starting 11 who earned much more than a grand a week

[der Berliner 3,283]

And they can't help it making more stories out of it ...

 

Queen of the South boss James Fowler tells Rangers: You've let pitch fear mess with your mind

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/queen-south-boss-james-fowler-7405830#uPJXpt2Daxcw6utG.97

 

... and lo and behold:

 

Kurt Zouma injured his knee on grass !!!

Queens skipper Chris Higgins said: “Injuries are part and parcel of football. Look at Kurt Zouma who did his cruciate on grass at
 Stamford Bridge recently.

 

Good that someone at last had the gall to tell it like it is! People get injured in football everywhere, not just on plastic pitches! And they can have serious injuries too! Now it's settled and the big bad Rangers should stop moaning.

[MacK1950 2,249]

Certainly persons can be injured on any type of surface but the fact seems to be that when sliding into tackles you are more likely to cut yourself or get friction burns on plastic which by reports is a common injury.

Keep plastic where it belongs e.g. visa cards credit cards store cards etc.:devil:

[ian1964 10,447]

It's astro tough on Martyn Waghorn and Rangers

 

By RICHARD GOUGH

 

IT was just last week that Mark Warburton spoke out on the topic of plastic pitches and injuries.

 

The Rangers boss was previewing the first of three matches in eight days on artificial surfaces at Alloa, Kilmarnock and Queen of the South.

 

He admitted he had major concerns over the damage these pitches would possibly do to his players.

 

 

Within minutes of the second game starting, Warburton lost his top scorer for what looks like the rest of the season.

 

Rangers came through that Scottish Cup tie against Killie but their last-gasp win came at a real cost.

 

Yet is anyone surprised at Martyn Waghorn suffering a serious knee injury at Rugby Park on Tuesday?

 

The plastic pitch fan club will argue that Killie’s surface had nothing to do with what happened.

 

Personally I don’t buy that. Artificial pitches are dangerous and they do nothing to help on the injury front.

 

Think about the impact of Waghorn falling on that surface. Of course it’s going to cause problems.

 

You just need to ask any player how their joints feel the day after a game to understand they are treacherous.

 

Some guys can hardly walk after 90 minutes of bone-jarring football.

 

Others just sit out the games altogether.

 

That tells you that these pitches are unsuitable at the highest level of our game.

 

Elsewhere in today’s SunSport, St Johnstone chairman Steve Brown reveals he’s considering putting in a plastic surface at McDiarmid Park.

 

My heart sank when I heard that. The last thing Scottish football needs is another fake pitch.

 

There are already more than enough.

 

The SFA or the SPFL should reject any fresh applications. The rules have to be changed.

 

And any club that has an existing artificial pitch should be made to rip it up and lay down grass.

 

Plastic pitches do nothing to enhance the reputation of Scottish football — they only damage it.

 

What do you think neutrals are saying when they turn on the TV and see big games played on astroturf? It’s wrong. Have you ever heard a player say, ‘What a great astroturf pitch that is, I can’t wait to play on it’?

 

No because the vast majority would always rather play on grass — like football is meant to be.

 

Just look at Rangers’ game at Killie. Would Rory McKenzie’s goal have gone in if it wasn’t for the astroturf?

 

It skidded off the surface and flew past Wes Foderingham. On grass, I’d fancy the Rangers keeper to save it.

 

A fake surface leads to a fake game. I don’t care how good these 4G pitches are — you won’t ever see a top club in a top league installing one.

 

Fraser Wishart and the PFA have had their say on the plastic pitch debate in Scotland and it’s clear the players don’t like them.

 

In the long-term interest of the professionals, surely the SFA and SPFL have to do something about them.

 

If clubs are installing them for financial reasons then why don’t the governing bodies find some cash to help clubs have better grass pitches.

 

Can a rewards scheme be set up? Can clubs be given incentives to look after their grass pitches better?

 

Nobody has a problem with clubs using artificial surfaces for training. During the winter months, that makes sense.

 

But when we are trying to improve Scottish football, this fascination with plastic is a major worry.

 

In a sporting sense, it also gives clubs a major advantage. You can’t tell me that those with artificial pitches don’t benefit.

 

Of course they do. It’s not a level playing field — it’s just a dangerous one. The sooner something is done about Scotland’s ever-growing collection of plastic pitches, the better.

 

At the very least, clubs playing in the top flight should be banned from having an artificial surface.

 

Until that happens, players will continue to pick up injuries and games will continue to be decided by freak goals.

 

Rangers will just have to hope that Waghorn’s first game back after injury isn’t on another plastic pitch.

 

After what happened to him on Tuesday who could blame him for never wanting to set foot on one again?

 

http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/6945044/Its-astro-tough-on-Waghorn-and-Gers.html

[ian1964 10,447]

Plastic is fantastic at St Johnstone

 

ST JOHNSTONE could become the third Premiership team to install a plastic pitch.

 

Saints chairman Steve Brown has told SunSport he may have no choice but to put down an artificial surface at McDiarmid Park, despite the chorus of discontent with them across Scottish football.

 

Brown insists extreme weather conditions make playing football impossible and believes he has a duty to explore installing an all-weather surface.

 

He said: “We have to give serious consideration to getting an all-weather pitch and it’s something we’re thinking about.”

 

Saints boss Tommy Wright and top scorer Steven MacLean have criticised plastic pitches.

 

Top-flight pair Hamilton and Kilmarnock already have artificial surfaces.

 

Brown’s revelation comes at the end of a week which saw Rangers boss Mark Warburton call for them to be banned after Martin Waghorn was injured at Rugby Park.

 

http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/stjohnstone/6945299/Plastic-is-fantastic-at-St-Johnstone.html

[Frankie 8,182]

Waghorn has suffered from injuries in the past so it was always a worry of mine that something like this would happen.

 

It's certainly a good chance for someone like Clark to step up and earn himself a new contract. His goal the other night was certainly well taken and he should get enough chances if he plays. However, in league matches, I'd expect Miller and/or O'Halloran to be the main alternatives.

[RANGERRAB 3,299]

Waghorn has suffered from injuries in the past so it was always a worry of mine that something like this would happen.

 

It's certainly a good chance for someone like Clark to step up and earn himself a new contract. His goal the other night was certainly well taken and he should get enough chances if he plays. However, in league matches, I'd expect Miller and/or O'Halloran to be the main alternatives.

 

Despite his goal on Tuesday I'd be very surprised indeed if Clark got offered a new deal

[Frankie 8,182]

Despite his goal on Tuesday I'd be very surprised indeed if Clark got offered a new deal

 

As would I but what I'm saying is that he now has the opportunity to show he should be given one. FWIW, I doubt Waghorn will play a meaningful game again this season if he's done his ligament.

[ian1964 10,447]

I don't think Clark will be offered a new contract,but he can go out and play for one,or at least put himself in the shop window for other clubs!