Hybrid Pitch

[Morph]

2 minutes ago, kingantti1874 said:

motherwell UV lighting covers 0% of the pitch. 

They do have them as well tbf. 
 

 

[Morph]

If it’s simply overuse then it’s pretty bad that it’s taken until it getting to this state for us to realise it.  
 

Surely the ground staff would be telling hearts not to train on it every week and for the hearts women’s team to play elsewhere?  It’s all good in hindsight saying overuse but we should be stopping this stuff happening before it gets to the state it’s in.  A running theme throughout the club I suppose, let things fall apart before trying to fix the problem  

 

I just feel we always have some sort of daft excuse rather than just taking it on the chin, saying the club haven’t been good enough and working towards making it better.  We’ve now got a pitch that clearly can’t hold up to the conditions so hopefully going forward it is reserved for first team matches only.  I was well into the idea of tynecastle being used for things outside of hearts matches but clearly that’s not going to be possible considering the state the pitch has been in this season. 

[MarkDevriesScores4]

We were a terrible side when the pitch was in perfect condition. 

[TheOak88]

13 minutes ago, Phil Dunphy said:

 

People with more knowledge of how the pitch works than you and me have put it down to overuse. The Alan Titchmarsh brigade don't seem to want to accept that as a factor.

 

Make of that what you will.

 

More club excuses. 

[Thomaso]

1 hour ago, J80MBO said:

The clubs in England have huge UV lamps that cover huge areas of the pitch for regrowing the grass 12 months of year particularly for winter months.

 

I know hears have one but is tiny compared to the ones the english clubs have...assume due to cost 

So without these huge UV Lamps there was no point in installing a £1m hybrid pitch??? 🤔

[Thomaso]

7 minutes ago, TheOak88 said:

 

More club excuses. 

Just more trolling from old Phil. 😏

[Paolo]

25 minutes ago, Phil Dunphy said:

 

People with more knowledge of how the pitch works than you and me have put it down to overuse. The Alan Titchmarsh brigade don't seem to want to accept that as a factor.

 

Make of that what you will.

Overuse after less than half the season is unacceptable.   Either we have been ripped off with the £1 million cost, or for some reason, we are incapable of maintaining it properly, meaning it was a waste of money. 

Edited December 15, 2019 by Paolo

[4marsbars]

1 hour ago, Cruickshank for Scotland said:

All the premier league teams in England have hybrid pitches and most have high enclosed stadium - none have pitches as bad as ours.

 

Do any have pitches so narrow?

 

On another point, is our pitch being used more for training this season?

[Phil Dunphy]

1 minute ago, Paolo said:

Overuse after less than half the season is unacceptable.   Either we have been ripped off with the £1 million cost, or for some reason, we are incapable of maintaining it properly, meaning it was a waste of money. 

 

I'd imagine the ground staff have been quite vocal over the amount of use it's getting. Remember, if we're training on the pitch before every game (apparently it didn't happen before yesterdays game) and we play two home games in a row, that pitch is being used 4 times in the space of a week.

 

If Levein was still at Hearts, we'd have trained on it on Friday, played Saturday, trained Tuesday, played on it Wednesday, trained on it on Friday before going through to Hamilton on Saturday. 5 uses in 7 days. No time for the groundsmen to do any real work on it or time for the work to bed in.

[2205ian]

The "overused" excuse seems a bit weak, much like the grass on the park.

 

After an 8 week "summer break" to get it shipshape for the new season, it has only been used for 8 League & 3 League Cup games (albeit god-forbid 1 went to extra time & pens) by the 1st team. Ladies games x 3? (1 x Hearts Ladies, Ladies Cup Final & 1 x International) Scotland Under Age x 2? = 16 in a 22 week period. 1st team training on a Friday might need to be reconsidered, especially in the interim period. Add in the Festival Event which obviously had a short term adverse effect.

 

There are simple actions which could be taken involving pre game warm ups to assist ground management including changing the side of continual use in front of Main Stand by both sides. 

 

Tongue in cheek, using the actual goals instead of temporary units would help as the penalty box is certainly underused for the duration of the game.

 

Not being Alan Titchmarsh/Groundsman/Green Keeper to give any "expert analysis", hopefully the cause may been down to some sort of disease which can be treated & eradicated going forward.

 

In summary, the pitch is not in a good condition considering the initial outlay & subsequent ongoing maintenance costs.

Edited December 15, 2019 by 2205ian
Post to pre game warm ups!!

[Thomaso]

3 minutes ago, 4marsbars said:

 

Do any have pitches so narrow?

 

On another point, is our pitch being used more for training this season?

So now there was no point in spending £1m on a narrow hybrid pitch?

 

”Over-use“ seems to be the excuse/reason being promoted on here by some.

[Paolo]

5 minutes ago, Phil Dunphy said:

 

I'd imagine the ground staff have been quite vocal over the amount of use it's getting. Remember, if we're training on the pitch before every game (apparently it didn't happen before yesterdays game) and we play two home games in a row, that pitch is being used 4 times in the space of a week.

 

If Levein was still at Hearts, we'd have trained on it on Friday, played Saturday, trained Tuesday, played on it Wednesday, trained on it on Friday before going through to Hamilton on Saturday. 5 uses in 7 days. No time for the groundsmen to do any real work on it or time for the work to bed in.

Our last first team home game, before yesterday, was 4th December, and before that 9th November.  
 

If that is causing us to struggle to maintain it, then we have a problem, especially now we have several home games in a short spell.   
 

As I said a waste of money, if we cannot maintain it, regardless of the reason. 

Edited December 15, 2019 by Paolo

[Morph]

So are we saying the grounds staff would’ve been saying not to play so much on it, but Craig levein thought he knew better and continued to train on it every week against advice?

 

If true I honestly didn’t think it was possible to dislike that guy any more than I already do    Anything he touches turns to shite. 

[Francis Albert]

31 minutes ago, 4marsbars said:

 

Do any have pitches so narrow?

 

On another point, is our pitch being used more for training this season?

No but few make as little use of the surface as we do. Hoof ball and short sideways and backward passes to static players must help the pitch.

Edited December 15, 2019 by Francis Albert

[4marsbars]

1 hour ago, Cruickshank for Scotland said:

So now there was no point in spending £1m on a narrow hybrid pitch?

 

”Over-use“ seems to be the excuse/reason being promoted on here by some.

 

"No point... "?

 

That's not what I argued but feel free to put words in my mouth if that's your approach.

 

Like 99% of posters here, I am not an expert on making grass grow. I was merely asking questions,  this being a discussion board.

[4marsbars]

58 minutes ago, Francis Albert said:

No but few make as little use of the surface as we do. Hoof ball and short sideways and backward passes to static players must help the pitch.

 Your point would be valid if our players' feet were not firmly fixed to the ground ....

[Thomaso]

16 minutes ago, 4marsbars said:

 

"No point... "?

 

That's not what I argued but feel free to put words in my mouth if that's your approach.

 

Like 99% of posters here, I am not an expert on making grass grow. I was merely asking questions,  this being a discussion board.

Sorry no offence intended Mars 😔

[RobboM]

I'm another "not an expert" but the grass on the Motherwell pitch, apart from being lusher, did look longer than the grass at Tynecastle that I could see yesterday (lower sec S).
Genuinely take this as a daft laddie observation but if the grass is very short then surely there's only a small area of a blade of grass exposed to any light. If it is only half as long as the Motherwell grass wouldn't it need to be exposed to twice as much daylight to generate similar growth via photosynthesis?

[4marsbars]

29 minutes ago, Cruickshank for Scotland said:

Sorry no offence intended Mars 😔

 

Thanks from a fellow Cruickshank fan.

[kila]

2 hours ago, Phil Dunphy said:

By people who know vastly more about grass care than the guy who cleans the lawnmower at Braid Hills. Or you, for that matter.

Do you think golf course green keepers are less knowledgeable about grass and maintenance than their equivalent at a football club? I’d argue golf green keepers have more work to do and understand because fairways, greens and rough are usually different types of grass, all cut to different levels.

 

Anyway if the grass is cut too often or short in the autumn then the turf will become weak. Don’t need big brains to understand that one and I hope that isn’t the reason why the Tynecastle pitch is in such a state. 

[Thomaso]

12 minutes ago, 4marsbars said:

 

Thanks from a fellow Cruickshank fan.

👍

[Thomaso]

28 minutes ago, RobboM said:

I'm another "not an expert" but the grass on the Motherwell pitch, apart from being lusher, did look longer than the grass at Tynecastle that I could see yesterday (lower sec S).
Genuinely take this as a daft laddie observation but if the grass is very short then surely there's only a small area of a blade of grass exposed to any light. If it is only half as long as the Motherwell grass wouldn't it need to be exposed to twice as much daylight to generate similar growth via photosynthesis?

Good post! 👍

[Phil Dunphy]

6 hours ago, kila said:

Do you think golf course green keepers are less knowledgeable about grass and maintenance than their equivalent at a football club? I’d argue golf green keepers have more work to do and understand because fairways, greens and rough are usually different types of grass, all cut to different levels.

 

Anyway if the grass is cut too often or short in the autumn then the turf will become weak. Don’t need big brains to understand that one and I hope that isn’t the reason why the Tynecastle pitch is in such a state. 

 

I believe golf course tea boys don't know more about looking after the pitch at Tynecastle than the people employed by the club to do so.

 

[kingantti1874]

1 hour ago, RobboM said:

I'm another "not an expert" but the grass on the Motherwell pitch, apart from being lusher, did look longer than the grass at Tynecastle that I could see yesterday (lower sec S).
Genuinely take this as a daft laddie observation but if the grass is very short then surely there's only a small area of a blade of grass exposed to any light. If it is only half as long as the Motherwell grass wouldn't it need to be exposed to twice as much daylight to generate similar growth via photosynthesis?

you are correct. I posted the same the last time we ****ed the pitch and was shot down.. grass should be kept a bit longer in the winter months

[kingantti1874]

17 minutes ago, Phil Dunphy said:

 

I believe golf course tea boys don't know more about looking after the pitch at Tynecastle than the people employed by the club to do so. 

they are doing it very badly

[kila]

13 minutes ago, Phil Dunphy said:

I believe golf course tea boys don't know more about looking after the pitch at Tynecastle than the people employed by the club to do so.

 

They know enough about grass to make a comment though. Both are responsible for ensuring a quality playing surface all year round while fighting the effects of wear and tear by being treaded on.

 

The world class tools Hearts have at their disposal to monitor and control the pitch, from temperature and drainage to sprinklers and the 6 light rigs makes this even more puzzling.

 

But that isn't to say this is the the fault of the groundskeepers - we don't know yet. But there will probably be some media comments after the higher profile televised Celtic game, maybe forcing the club into making some statement especially if the Festival concert is the attack they use to sell some stories.

 

 

[Boris5115]

19 hours ago, Cruickshank for Scotland said:

Interesting comment. If you check back on the previous thread on the state of the old pitch you will see I confirmed that a green keeper pal of mine said the pitch was getting cut far too short and as a result that was weakening the turf.

 

I read an article recently that our Head Groundsman was a former Green Keeper on a golf course before taking up the post at Tynecastle. 

[Thomaso]

27 minutes ago, kingantti1874 said:

you are correct. I posted the same the last time we ****ed the pitch and was shot down.. grass should be kept a bit longer in the winter months

Shot down by the usual happy Clappers and trolls on here no doubt!

[Thomaso]

Just now, Boris5115 said:

I read an article recently that our Head Groundsman was a former Green Keeper on a golf course before taking up the post at Tynecastle. 

Makes things even worse then 🙈

[kingantti1874]

1 minute ago, Cruickshank for Scotland said:

Shot down by the usual happy Clappers and trolls on here no doubt!

Shot down by the green keeper who blamed the subsoil and drainage.. no excuses this time. The pitch is an absolute disgrace  
 

Grass should not be scalped in winter .. destroys the energy reserves 

[Boris5115]

3 minutes ago, Cruickshank for Scotland said:

Makes things even worse then 🙈

Sorry to be the bearer of more bad news. 

[Thomaso]

2 minutes ago, kingantti1874 said:

Shot down by the green keeper who blamed the subsoil and drainage.. no excuses this time. The pitch is an absolute disgrace  
 

Grass should not be scalped in winter .. destroys the energy reserves 

Exactly....but....you’re not an expert,  blah, blah! 😉

[John mcCartney]

6 minutes ago, Phil Dunphy said:

 

Post reported for personal abuse.

pathetic stuff,you should be fecking ashamed of yourself

btw what is a fecking golf course teaboy btw.

That pitch yesterday does indeed look on appearance far too short.Theres been rain recently altho the drainage system underneath should be handling that comfortably.Yet again over at Tynecastle,summat smells.

[kila]

The run of games using the pitch:

 

Sat 5th Oct - Hearts v Kilmarnock

Thu 10th Oct - Scotland U21s

Sun 20th Oct - Hearts v Rangers

Sat 9th Nov - Hearts v St Mirren

Fri 15th Nov - Scotland U21s

Sun 17th Nov - Hearts Women

Sun 24th Nov - Women's Cup Final

Wed 4th Dec - Hearts v Livingston

Sat 14th Dec - Hearts v St Johnstone

 

 

 

Sat 5th Oct:

 

 

 

 

 

Thurs 10th Oct:

 

 

 

 

20th Oct:

 

 

 

 

9th Nov:

 

 

 

 

15th Nov:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 15, 2019 by kila

[kila]

Compare that to how it looked this time a year ago:

 

 

26 Dec 2018:

 

 

 

Edited December 15, 2019 by kila

[Jambof3tornado]

Does look cut very short indeed.

 

 

 

Its a bit of a worry.

[kila]

And how it looked yesterday

 

 

Sat 14th Dec:

 

 

[Thomaso]

4 minutes ago, kila said:

And how it looked yesterday

 

 

Sat 14th Dec:

 

 

🙈

[kingantti1874]

Absolutely disgraceful. Worse than the old pitch. Probably Becuase we are making the same mistakes over and over and over

[leginten]

6 minutes ago, kila said:

And how it looked yesterday

 

 

Sat 14th Dec:

 

 

 

Off topic, but: Zlamal’s positioning at the goal.

 

[kila]

Do SIS/STRI help with maintenance during the first year as part of a new pitch deal costing £1m? It is worrying that the pitch looks like it did every year in winter with last year an exception.

[Coco]

Halkett in those highlights 

[Thomaso]

29 minutes ago, kingantti1874 said:

Absolutely disgraceful. Worse than the old pitch. Probably Becuase we are making the same mistakes over and over and over

Probably but no doubt Ann will make a statement soon.........

[Taffin]

2 minutes ago, Nunya Business said:

 

Nope. Because they've done it in a genuine attempt at a dialogue. You've just been looking for an argument. Interesting that what your golf course chum has told you is much more important and holds more weight than my friends at Hearts have told me. Have a think on that one.

 

What is their thinking on how it will be sorted?

 

Unless Cruickshank for Scotland's mate has his greens looking like a ploughed field then maybe his opinion does carry more weight than your friends at Hearts...

[The Hogfather]

1 minute ago, Taffin said:

 

What is their thinking on how it will be sorted?

 

Unless Cruickshank for Scotland's mate has his greens looking like a ploughed field then maybe his opinion does carry more weight than your friends at Hearts...

 

Honestly I haven't gone into much detail with them beyond a couple of texts last night. Mentioning how it looked and asking them what their thoughts were. Overuse was an issue they are worried about, because it was getting used nearly 4 or 5 times a week. They seemed quite confident that it would get sorted, although I didn't press for details on what they'd need to do.

 

I do know there was at least one person working on it until 9:45pm last night, which worked out to be a 12 hour shift. Same again on Wednesday I would assume.

[Taffin]

1 minute ago, Nunya Business said:

 

Honestly I haven't gone into much detail with them beyond a couple of texts last night. Mentioning how it looked and asking them what their thoughts were. Overuse was an issue they are worried about, because it was getting used nearly 4 or 5 times a week. They seemed quite confident that it would get sorted, although I didn't press for details on what they'd need to do.

 

I do know there was at least one person working on it until 9:45pm last night, which worked out to be a 12 hour shift. Same again on Wednesday I would assume.

 

 

That's the most important thing and appreciate your answer. Fingers crossed they can get it sorted. It's a shame people are having to spend so much time on its upkeep.

[Thomaso]

6 minutes ago, Nunya Business said:

 

Nope. Because they've done it in a genuine attempt at a dialogue. You've just been looking for an argument. Interesting that what your golf course chum has told you is much more important and holds more weight than my friends at Hearts have told me. Have a think on that one.

Sorry but you were the one who introduced sarcasm into the conversation! I was not looking for an argument but if you give it out you are going to get it back.

I don’t know your pals but I do know my pal is fully qualified and knows what he’s talking about. I can only go with the results of your pals endeavours over the last few years where the pitch has frankly been a disgrace - maybe you need to think on that one.

[Thomaso]

5 minutes ago, Nunya Business said:

 

Honestly I haven't gone into much detail with them beyond a couple of texts last night. Mentioning how it looked and asking them what their thoughts were. Overuse was an issue they are worried about, because it was getting used nearly 4 or 5 times a week. They seemed quite confident that it would get sorted, although I didn't press for details on what they'd need to do.

 

I do know there was at least one person working on it until 9:45pm last night, which worked out to be a 12 hour shift. Same again on Wednesday I would assume.

Serious question - when did they say they would get the pitch back to the expected standard for a hybrid pitch?

[The Hogfather]

19 minutes ago, Taffin said:

 

 

That's the most important thing and appreciate your answer. Fingers crossed they can get it sorted. It's a shame people are having to spend so much time on its upkeep.

 

No problem. Hopefully they can give the pitch some work over next weekend and give it a chance to bed in.

 

13 minutes ago, Cruickshank for Scotland said:

Serious question - when did they say they would get the pitch back to the expected standard for a hybrid pitch?

 

I didn't ask for a deadline. And even if I had, I wouldn't be broadcasting it to people on Kickback. If they wanted that information to be shared, they'd post it themselves.

[Thomaso]

5 minutes ago, Nunya Business said:

 

No problem. Hopefully they can give the pitch some work over next weekend and give it a chance to bed in.

 

 

I didn't ask for a deadline. And even if I had, I wouldn't be broadcasting it to people on Kickback. If they wanted that information to be shared, they'd post it themselves.

OK fair enough.