Magazine - Pele to speak at Stadia Sports Turf Summit

21 Oct 2004 by V

HOW MUCH DID THEY PAY HIM TO SPEAK UP ABOUT SOMETHING HE KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT? HE LAST PLAYED TOP LEVEL FOOTBALL OVER 25 YEARS AGO ON SURFACES BOTH NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL THAT ARE A MILLION MILES AWAY FROM WHAT WE HAVE NOW. GREATEST OR NOT IT IS JUST ANOTHER LENGTH, IN FACT ANY LENGTH THESE BENT AND CORRUPT ORGANISATIONS WILL GOT O TO LINE THEIR POCKETS AND DESTROY OUR INDUSTRY. FRONTING SOMEONE WHO PEOPLE LISTEN TO BLINDLY JUST BECAUSE THEY WERE GOOD AT FOOTBALL A GENERATION AGO. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME THESE ORGANISATIONS LET A REAL GROUNDSMAN GIVE A CONFERENCE ON HOW MUCH NATURAL PITCHES HAVE IMPROVED IN THE LAST 20 YEARS, LIKE TRY NEVER. ITS ****.

21 Oct 2004 by Fescue

I am fortunate to be going to the conference, but I was particularly underwhelmed that Pele was cutting the ribbon.

If you think that I will blindly believe anything that is said you are very mistaken. To be honest I do not think that it even occurs to the various authorites how the different proposals affect our industry.

You are effectively talking about persecution of our industry, which does not do justice to the many employers who do support us. Or is back to the elitism of certain areas of our profession, who are the only ones who count!!

Real groundsmen do give presentations at different conferences/seminars throughout the year and there is a core of professionals who attend and others who 'cannot be bothered' or 'do not have the time'; if they care so much, these arguments would not count.

The question is: What percentage of practicing groundsmen actually attend seminars & conferences? Maybe Pitchcare should have that as one of their monthly questions.

21 Oct 2004 by Dave

I too, am going to the conference, having attended last years inaugural conference in Holland.
Maybe the opportunity to speak to the great man, and sway his opinions (if needed of course) on the preference of natural grass would improve the recognition for natural grass no end. To have a world reknowned player figureheading the cause for professionals to remain playing on our loved, tried and tested surfaces would be a major asset.
Every situation can have a positive outcome-stop being so negative. I presume that you will also be attending 'V' ?

21 Oct 2004 by Wasn't V about aliens?

Dear Mr/Mrs/Ms V

Your style of message, both its presentation and content are very reminisent of the "Plastic Terminator". Is this you in another guise or are you related?

21 Oct 2004 by It was about aliens!

It was about reptiles in the guise of humans...pretty rubbish really.

I take it that V will not be at the conference!! What a shame, it would be nice to meet someone who speaks in UPPERCASE!

22 Oct 2004 by Mara

Mr Pele,"the former Brazilian footballer widely regarded as the world’s greatest ever player" and BRAZIL Football Team as the best team on the world......ooo lalala!!!! On BRAZIL we use to say "the team that is winning don't moves", Maracana Stadium was build with natural surface, and brazilian football players are so good on natural surfaces. For build the futur is better look for the past.

26 Oct 2004 by V..W..XYZ

PATIENCE IS OUR BEST FRIEND AND ALSO OUR WORST ENEMEY.

DO WE WAIT TO HOPE THAT PLASTIC WILL NOT TAKE OVER AND NOT UPSET THE APPLECART OR DO WE TRY TO FIGHT IN ALBEIT IN A SUBTLE WAY.

WHAT DO WE DO COLLECTIVELY AS AN INDUSTRY, ARE WE IN FACT AN INDUSTRY, OR PERHAPS WE WERE AN INDUSTRY ONCE BEFORE THERE WAS ANY REAL MONEY TO BE MADE.

WE CANNOT STAND UP FOR OURSELVES INDIVIDUALLY NO ONE WILL LISTEN OR TAKE NOTE NOT ON THESE ISSUES.

HAVE YOU SEEN THE FUTURE..IT DOSEN'T WORK.

27 Oct 2004 by Wasn't V about aliens?

Yes, very profound, but what's your point? or should I say YES, VERY PROFOUND, BUT WHAT'S YOUR POINT?

27 Oct 2004 by ??

The question is.....how is plastic taking over? Is it like a pernicious weed? or Is it through a sense of paranoia in the industry?

Will speaking with one voice help anything?...I doubt it...there are too many individual agendas involved.... or should the major part of the industry (Part timers and club groundsmen) just follow the lead of those who believe they know better and not worry about the consequences?

I do not agree with plastic replacing grass at top level venues but we have to accept that it is here to stay in the lower levels of all sport. To try to fight it, at the lower levels, would be a waste of time and energy that could be used elsewhere. Or do the groundsmen at those levels not count? You should look at the Pitchcare straw poll on the subject where 70% of the replies favoured plastic at the lower levels.