18-Sep-2009: Wembley Stadium, London - Tickets, Previews, Meetups, Reviews/Photos

[busybeeburns]

Coldplay or Capello? England's manager grows frustrated over state of Wembley pitch ruined by too many pop concerts

 

 

Fabio Capello fears the controversial playing surface at Wembley - and the £757million national stadium's hyper-critical crowd - could harm England's World Cup qualifying campaign.

 

Capello's team are five points clear in Group Six ahead of the home match against Ukraine a week on Wednesday. But with some England stars expressing their dissatisfaction over the Wembley pitch, Capello and his backroom staff believe the state-of-the-art stadium may have become more of a hindrance than a help.

 

Such is their contempt for a playing surface which they say bobbles up like a new carpet and disintegrates too easily when put under pressure, that England's head coach would prefer to play at Manchester United's Old Trafford ground in the event of the team needing to win a two-leg play-off to reach South Africa 2010.

 

Capello is also concerned that problems with the Wembley pitch - caused by the frequent use of the stadium for pop concerts and sports other than football - are just adding to the unease England stars already feel about playing for their country in front of an increasingly impatient crowd.

 

'It's the shirt,' was the Italian's reply when asked last week what caused players familiar with the pressures of Champions League football to struggle for England.

Capello, always careful in his public pronouncements, may have attempted to turn his comment into a joke by then mentioning the fact England will wear a new home strip for the first time in Saturday's friendly international against Slovakia, but he is known to regret the growing trend for English supporters to barrack their own team.

 

In appealing for strong support for England in both the Slovakia game and the more crucial clash with Ukraine, Capello acknowledged the role fans may have played in making Wembley a less-than-happy-home for the England team.

Capello said: 'Last season the fans always helped the players. I don't know why they have changed.'

The pitch battle has been simmering behind the scenes for months. Capello is understood to be concerned that home advantage is destroyed the moment opposing players see that England's big names are not comfortable on Wembley's surface.

 

The problems with the pitch are thought to result from the need to lay new turf every few months because of the large number of non-footballing activities staged at the venue.

 

Those events may allow Wembley National Stadium Ltd, the FA-owned subsidiary, to pay the bills but concerts by the likes of U2 and Coldplay this summer will do nothing to ease England's footballing concerns.

 

The Capello camp have privately begged Wembley on several occasions to leave the pitch alone for at least six months. But often the pitch hardly gets half that time before the turf is changed yet again. This summer it stands to be ripped up and relaid three times, each at a cost of £150,000.

 

England's management team are hoping the grass will have recovered from the Carling Cup final in time for the friendly against Slovakia and will hold up for Ukraine on the following Wednesday, but they are worried about what state it will be in for crucial home games later in the year.

 

Stadium chiefs are risking the surface in order to pocket millions from hosting pop concerts on the pitch, two of which take place outside the stadium's official June 20- July 18 concert window.

 

Wembley have four weeks after concerts by Oasis on July 9, 11 and 12 to relay the pitch for the showpiece Community Shield on August 9.

 

It is understood the pitch will then be ripped up and relaid a week later, after the August 14 concert by U2, with just two weeks for the new turf to bed down before the rugby league Challenge Cup final, followed a week later by the Slovenia friendly on September 5 and Croatia qualifier four days later.

 

The surface is in line to be ditched for a third time after Coldplay's September 18 and 19 shows, with only three-and-a-half weeks to prepare another new pitch for the Belarus qualifier on October 14.

 

Eleven days later, Wembley will host the now annual NFL away day, and although the Croatia team made light work in 2007 of the heavy surface left by the American footballers, England would not relish playing a home play-off tie on a similarly churned-up surface in November.

 

The Capello camp feel unable to go public with their complaints, partly because the campaign to bring World Cup 2018 to England is based around Wembley Stadium as the centrepiece.

 

But others have felt able to speak out more freely. Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson was so disappointed with the Wembley surface at the recent Carling Cup final that he raised concerns about playing the FA Cup semifinals there.

 

'I hope the pitch is better,' said Ferguson. 'It should be better than that and you expect Wembley to be better than that.'

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/

[Guest howyousawtheworld]

 

Fabio Capello fears the controversial playing surface at Wembley - and the £757million national stadium's hyper-critical crowd - could harm England's World Cup qualifying campaign.

 

Capello's team are five points clear in Group Six ahead of the home match against Ukraine a week on Wednesday. But with some England stars expressing their dissatisfaction over the Wembley pitch, Capello and his backroom staff believe the state-of-the-art stadium may have become more of a hindrance than a help.

 

Such is their contempt for a playing surface which they say bobbles up like a new carpet and disintegrates too easily when put under pressure, that England's head coach would prefer to play at Manchester United's Old Trafford ground in the event of the team needing to win a two-leg play-off to reach South Africa 2010.

 

Capello is also concerned that problems with the Wembley pitch - caused by the frequent use of the stadium for pop concerts and sports other than football - are just adding to the unease England stars already feel about playing for their country in front of an increasingly impatient crowd.

 

'It's the shirt,' was the Italian's reply when asked last week what caused players familiar with the pressures of Champions League football to struggle for England.

Capello, always careful in his public pronouncements, may have attempted to turn his comment into a joke by then mentioning the fact England will wear a new home strip for the first time in Saturday's friendly international against Slovakia, but he is known to regret the growing trend for English supporters to barrack their own team.

 

In appealing for strong support for England in both the Slovakia game and the more crucial clash with Ukraine, Capello acknowledged the role fans may have played in making Wembley a less-than-happy-home for the England team.

Capello said: 'Last season the fans always helped the players. I don't know why they have changed.'

The pitch battle has been simmering behind the scenes for months. Capello is understood to be concerned that home advantage is destroyed the moment opposing players see that England's big names are not comfortable on Wembley's surface.

 

The problems with the pitch are thought to result from the need to lay new turf every few months because of the large number of non-footballing activities staged at the venue.

 

Those events may allow Wembley National Stadium Ltd, the FA-owned subsidiary, to pay the bills but concerts by the likes of U2 and Coldplay this summer will do nothing to ease England's footballing concerns.

 

The Capello camp have privately begged Wembley on several occasions to leave the pitch alone for at least six months. But often the pitch hardly gets half that time before the turf is changed yet again. This summer it stands to be ripped up and relaid three times, each at a cost of £150,000.

 

England's management team are hoping the grass will have recovered from the Carling Cup final in time for the friendly against Slovakia and will hold up for Ukraine on the following Wednesday, but they are worried about what state it will be in for crucial home games later in the year.

 

Stadium chiefs are risking the surface in order to pocket millions from hosting pop concerts on the pitch, two of which take place outside the stadium's official June 20- July 18 concert window.

 

Wembley have four weeks after concerts by Oasis on July 9, 11 and 12 to relay the pitch for the showpiece Community Shield on August 9.

 

It is understood the pitch will then be ripped up and relaid a week later, after the August 14 concert by U2, with just two weeks for the new turf to bed down before the rugby league Challenge Cup final, followed a week later by the Slovenia friendly on September 5 and Croatia qualifier four days later.

 

The surface is in line to be ditched for a third time after Coldplay's September 18 and 19 shows, with only three-and-a-half weeks to prepare another new pitch for the Belarus qualifier on October 14.

 

Eleven days later, Wembley will host the now annual NFL away day, and although the Croatia team made light work in 2007 of the heavy surface left by the American footballers, England would not relish playing a home play-off tie on a similarly churned-up surface in November.

 

The Capello camp feel unable to go public with their complaints, partly because the campaign to bring World Cup 2018 to England is based around Wembley Stadium as the centrepiece.

 

But others have felt able to speak out more freely. Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson was so disappointed with the Wembley surface at the recent Carling Cup final that he raised concerns about playing the FA Cup semifinals there.

 

'I hope the pitch is better,' said Ferguson. 'It should be better than that and you expect Wembley to be better than that.'

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/

 

Capello is a living legend. What a waste of pitch the amount of times it'll have to be ripped up and re laid.

[thehardestfan]

Hi everyone! Can I ask you a pleasure ( if it's off topic delete it..sorry)?!

I need 4 tickets for the wembley's concert .It's doesn't matter the date...both 18 and 19 are good for me.

I need Standings tickets. If you know something about that could you please let me know?! Thanks!

[JoeB1]

Hi all,

I am desperatly looking to swap 2xstanding on the 19th for 2xstanding on the 18th. I cannot attend the 19th anymore, so anyone that can help with this, it would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks

Joe

[eskimo]

Am I allowed sell tickets here?

 

I can't go to the Coldplay/Girls Aloud Wembley gig on the Friday in September anymore and I was wondering am I allowed try sell my two standing tickets here?

[eskimo]

For Sale: Two standing tickets for Wembley Stadium Friday 18/09/09

 

Hey I'm sorry if this isn't allowed. I searched the FAQ but there was nothing about selling tickets. And I couldn't find a ticket trade forum!

 

But if anyone's looking for two standing/unreserved tickets for the Sold-out Coldplay/Girls Aloud concert Wembley Stadium Friday 18th-September-09 then PM me to ask about it because I can't go anymore!

 

:-)

[ImLovingGuyBerryman]

I WISH!

[illuvcoldplay]

I'm already going to the one the day after

 

I'm so sorry that you cant go anymore :(

[carkids]

aaaaaa how I wish I could go!! Aaaaaa

[Malcolm-Edge]

craigslist.org

[Texasluvsjonny]

I can't go to the Coldplay/Girls Aloud Wembley gig on the Friday in September anymore and I was wondering am I allowed try sell my two standing tickets here?

If you are asking face value, then sell away. If you are here to scalp/taut them, then fuck off.

[Sirhc]

Aaaaahhh me want :o

 

Too bad it's too far away for me :cry:

[Jojo]

It's not that far from Belgium! You can take the train to London! :D :lol:

[col89]

Does anyone know if Girls Aloud are only supporting on this date?

 

I've heard they are supposedly doing the Dublin 14th September date as well, does anyone know for sure?

[ilovechrismartin09]

OMG IM GOING TO COLDPLAY ON THE 18TH SEE U THERE

BUT BAD NEWS SITING AT THE BAKC :( :( XOXOX BUT AT LEAST IM GOING THATRS THE MAIN PLUS I'LL BE THERE EARLY LIKE A PERV WAITING FOOOR THEM ANIXOUSLY LOOL XOXOXXO I LOOVE CHRIS HE IS SEX ON LEGS ;)

[ApproximatelyInfinite]

there is now a poll to vote on wembley tshirt design! :dance:

 

http://www.coldplaying.com/forum/showthread.php?t=56276

 

GO VOTE! :D it's only open for 30 days :wink:.

[bolshy]

Hey I'm sorry if this isn't allowed. I searched the FAQ but there was nothing about selling tickets. And I couldn't find a ticket trade forum!

 

But if anyone's looking for two standing/unreserved tickets for the Sold-out Coldplay/Girls Aloud concert Wembley Stadium Friday 18th-September-09 then PM me to ask about it because I can't go anymore!

 

:-)

 

 

 

Eskimo, PM waiting for you.

 

If anyone else has a couple of tickets for the 18th spare, I'm looking to swap them for 2 tickets on the 19th.

 

Thanks

[jr!]

Selling one Standing ticket for Friday's Wembley show at face value

 

Guys and gals,

 

I am selling one standing ticket at face value for the Friday show! (September 18, 2009)

 

Let me know here or by email if you interested in buying it!

 

My email is [email protected]

 

I can't make the trip to the UK! aaaarrrrggghh!:cry:

 

But at least I will see them in Hartford and at All Points West in NYC! :)

 

Hopefully this ticket can make it to a true Coldplay fan who will have a brilliant time in London!

[jr!]

Guys and gals,

 

I am selling one standing ticket at FACE VALUE for the Friday show! (September 18, 2009)

 

Let me know here or by email if you interested in buying it!

 

My email is [email protected]

 

I can't make the trip to the UK! aaaarrrrggghh! :(

 

But at least I will see them in Hartford, CT and at All Points West in NYC! :)

 

Hopefully this ticket can make it to a true Coldplay fan who will have a brilliant time in London!

[professa95]

since for our show theres less people. we should do something amazing to get the attention off of the next day. also, are we gonna wear the shirts that everyone in the other thread are voting on?

[melanieau]

:dance:

[Jayzo]

:dance: :dance:.

 

I keep forgetting about this gig :laugh4: :bomb:.

[professa95]

yea really whyi isnt anyone talking up this thread

[professa95]

does anyone want to have a sign group/ banners. Are we all going to go in together ?

[CookyMnstr]

SQUEEEEE!!!

 

only 5 months to go!!!:dance::dance::dance: