13 May 2010Wembley pitch 'will be exceptional'

Football Leagues/ Association and Governance | Football Technology and Stadia

FA chairman Lord Triesman has moved to reassure football fans that recent problems with the Wembley playing surface have been solved ahead of this weekend's FA Cup final.

The turf came in for a barrage of criticism from figures including Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger after hosting the competition's semi-finals last month, but the chairman insists that the sport's authorities have learned from previous mistakes.

Lord Triesman claimed the pitch had been in good condition "for quite a long period" prior to April's matches, adding: "[Wembley] has a very peculiar microclimate, but we have got the stadium as it is and we know how to get it to a really good playing surface."

The FA will be hoping that the Wembley pitch holds up for the sake of their FIFA World Cup bid, as officials from world football's governing body are expected to be keen observers at the FA Cup's showpiece event.

Last month, it was reported that the playing surface may need to be re-laid as many as seven times per year.

Written by Tom Jenkins

Join the FFC and have your say on football

© Copyright