SHIELS PITCHES INTO BRANDYWELL BATTLE

THE postponement of all the SSE Airtricity League fixtures extends Derry City’s wait to play at the Brandywell.

But it also provides a silver lining for Kenny Shiels, who is disgusted his players haven’t had the chance to even walk on the new surface yet.

Asked on Tuesday night if the squad would get that chance before the Dundalk game scheduled for Friday, Shiels quipped: “They’ll let us on on Saturday and see if we can win the match on Saturday!”

The Candystripes boss, left, explained the club were told they would be on the pitch a fortnight ago to no avail, then last Sunday and last Monday.

Shiels arranged for it to happen on Monday evening but got a call as he was taking the gear over to the pitch to set up training that the squad were not allowed on the pitch.

“They’re saying health and safety,” said Shiels. “Yet I was at a meeting on Saturday at the Brandywell and there were 50 stewards on the pitch.

“Health and safety? Not one of them was wearing a steel hat.

“What is the health and safety about anyway? I don’t know. It’s hard for me to understand because I am from football. I don’t know about these things.”

Shiels has been in charge for 70 league games and only 16 of them have been at the Brandywell.

Derry played all their home games in Buncrana last year and their three league games this year have all been away from the Maiden City.

“Over that period of time it’s quite a lot (of away games), but it’s bonded us together and I’m sure we’ll do OK,” Shiels said.

“All we asked was to go on the pitch and do our set-pieces to get familiarity with the whole ambience and to help the players get their identity back. We’re not allowed to do that.

“I’m not blaming anyone. I’m just staying there is impasse somewhere, whether that is the contractors or the council, that’s not for me to say.

“It’s eating away at me because I’m the manager of the team and I want them to have a home, and it keeps being put off.

“I can’t send negative waves out there in preparation for the first game back but we’re really unhappy about it.”