126PLASTIC IS DRASTIC

Kilmarnock’s is the worst I’ve ever seen and their players would rather play on grass, claims Gerrard

STEVEN GERRARD attacks the topic with a force once reserved for midfield challenges. He is clear in his opinion. The Scottish Premiership would be better in terms of safety and spectacle if plastic was banished for good.

Gerrard knows not everyone agrees. Certainly not those who make decisions at boardroom level for Kilmarnock, Livingston and Hamilton. But he suspects there would be unanimity among their players if discreetly asked whether they would prefer to be playing on grass.

PFA Scotland felt it would be unfair to do so when collecting signatures for their petition. Instead, players from all nine top-flight clubs who operate on natural turf this week added their names to a call for a ban on artificial surfaces.

Whether the SPFL actually pay any heed is another matter. They are, after all, an organisation run by their members. And a quarter of Premiership clubs see their immediate future as being on plastic.

Gerrard gets their imperatives. He argues that some form of financial support — perhaps even aided by the richer clubs — should be available to get them back on grass. Otherwise, the Rangers manager feels everyone suffers.

Not just from what he claims is the ‘dangerous’ impact on players’ bodies, but from the damage done to the image of Scottish football. Gerrard regards playing your natural game on plastic as nigh-on impossible.

He is particularly cutting about the pitch at Rugby Park, where Jamie Murphy suffered a serious knee injury back in August. That incident understandably colours his view but he also draws upon personal experience of artificial turf when he played in the MLS for LA Galaxy.

‘I hated them,’ the 38-year-old grimaced. ‘Your body just reacts differently to them. Your joints ache for longer. Your muscles are tired for longer. You can’t play your normal game that you’ve been coached all your life.

‘The ball doesn’t run true. It doesn’t bounce true. Games are not as good to watch on plastic pitches.

‘The worst I’ve ever walked on was Kilmarnock’s. I’ve never played on a good (artificial) surface and I’ve played on all the latest ones and they’re all awful in my opinion.

‘The MLS ones are amongst the newer ones, so I suppose they’re safer than the older ones, but I just don’t like them.

‘It opens a debate because people say: “Why is Steven Gerrard talking about injuries and bodies and blah, blah, blah”. But it’s my opinion.

‘I’ve played on them. I’ve coached on them, I’ve had one of my key players suffer a major injury on them and he’s missed a full season.

‘I know and believe that if you asked Hamilton’s players, Kilmarnock’s players and Livingston’s players, would they rather play on grass or plastic — if their owners weren’t there — I think you’d get a clean sweep.’ In their six games since the winter break, Rangers have twice played at Rugby Park — losing 2-1 in the league and drawing 0-0 in the Scottish Cup — and once at Livingston’s Tony Macaroni Arena, winning 3-0. Asked if those surfaces can affect his team selection, Gerrard added: ‘In certain cases it does. If certain players have got a history of injuries around the joints, maybe an ankle or a knee, then of course you have to think about the players’ health and safety.

‘There’s nothing we can do right now, so we’ve had to adapt the training schedule and team selection.

‘We’ve learned a lot from the games on plastic. They are not surfaces that you can afford to overplay on. You have to be careful.

‘We lost some points just after the winter break by doing silly stuff on that type of surface and paid heavily for it. So we have to adapt to it.’

The blunt truth is that artificial pitches can earn their keep. They can be used for training and for youth teams, without altering the standard of the surface for a Saturday afternoon.

‘I respect that,’ said Gerrard. ‘I’m not saying those owners should dig deep and find the money to do without these pitches. But I believe the people who run this league should do more to make sure it’s played on grass.

‘These games are going out worldwide. We’re trying to attract top players to the league and improve the standard.

‘Every other elite league plays on grass, so why shouldn’t Scotland?

‘I’m sure there are different ways, whether it be TV, the PFA, the SFA or bigger clubs trying to support other clubs. I’d be all for that because I think football at the top level should be played on grass.’

Ibrox winger Glenn Middleton comes from a generation below Gerrard. One which has grown up with artificial pitches as a more regular part of the footballing environment.

Even so, the 19-year-old is no less steadfast in his views. He goes as far as drawing a parallel with the pain-inducing surfaces used by amateur teams in years gone by.

‘I used to watch my dad playing on ash pitches,’ said Middleton. ‘There’s not much difference from them to some of the plastic pitches today.

‘He said it was uncomfortable playing on them but it’s like that on plastic. It just doesn’t feel like proper football on them. It totally changes the way you approach the game.

‘Getting injured is always in the back of your mind. That should not be the case. I have been lucky so far but others haven’t.

‘They have grass pitches in the (English) Premier League, so it should be the same up here.’

Middleton fully supports the players’ union in their bid to keep pressing the issue.

‘It’s us who are playing on them, so our opinions should be listened to,’ added the Scotland Under-21 cap.

‘People say that young players don’t mind them because we are used to it — but no one enjoys it.

‘These are the pitches I was playing school games on at 12, so there’s no way they should be used for Premiership football.

‘It is completely different. You can’t get any momentum. You can’t run as quick or change direction as quickly. It changes the way you play.’