ISL 2017: Jamshedpur FC coach Steve Coppell concerned about injuries on poor pitch at home ground

Jamshedpur FC manager Steve Coppell expressed his concern about the pitch at the JRD Tata Sports Complex, where the pitch became the hotly discussed subject during their game against ATK, last week.

The Men of Steel have shown some steely resolve in defence, as they have gone three ISL matches without conceding a goal, but there have been worries up front. All of their three matches have been 0-0 draws.

When asked about the pitch in his home ground, Coppell expressed his concern that the player could be more prone to injuries due to the surface.

“You’re always concerned (about injuries) when the surface becomes a factor. The surface shouldn’t be a factor when it comes to the safety of the players,” said Coppell. “You could easily twist an ankle or a knee. I know Eygeneson (Lyngdoh) got injured. I hope that wasn’t pitch-related.

“It made playing football very very difficult. You pass the ball without knowing that your standing foot will be cemented and firm,” he said.

However, Coppell went on to defend the ground staff at the RJD Tata Stadium, saying that the pitch has been newly laid, which may be causing this problem.

“I’ve been informed that there’s a good root growth, and its just a matter of time before the pitch binds better,” he said. “The ground staff worked hard to prepare the brand new pitch. We had hoped that it would be a good surface, but obviously, it didn’t turn out that way.”

For now, Jamshedpur FC do not have to worry about the pitch, as they get set to take on Delhi Dynamos at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, in New Delhi.

However, another problem seems to be plaguing the capital – pollution. With massive levels of pollution in the city, Coppell revealed that some of his players were wearing face masks while training. However, none of the will be doing the same during the match.

He opined that it is the duty of the authorities to shift the sporting events away from such venues.