NOT PITCH PERFECT, BUT CLUB HITS RIGHT NOTE

SURFERS Paradise president Telly Karadimos is confident the club can keep hold of their Premier League squad after a “very positive” meeting with Gold Coast City Council over the state of Lex Bell Oval.

Desperate to rectify a Lex Bell surface described as being like “in Syria” earlier this year, Karadimos and Football Gold Coast general manager Damien Bresic last week met with Councillor Gary Baildon and sport and recreation officer Bruce Flick to discuss off-season plans for the field.

The state of the playing surface had raised concerns that coach Alex Morrison and players would walk away from the club but Karadimos said the meeting had put the wheels in motion to keep the preliminary finalists together.

“We don’t think we’re going to lose any players,” he said. “(Council) have assured us they will come back and visit in November.

“They’re going to put a bit more effort in than what they have in the last couple of years.

“They are going to aerate (the field) and level it out a bit because some of the areas have gone flat. I think they know now that we’re very serious.

“We’ve spoken about the lights … and that’s going to be looked into as a priority as well.”