Rangers have a dangerous situation to worry about!

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Rangers have a dangerous situation to worry about!


Rangers have travelled to artificial surfaces twice this season. Away to Kilmarnock in the cup where we lost Jamie Murphy, and away to Livi where we lost our composure.

It goes without saying these kinds of surfaces have been a bane of Rangers’ travels this campaign, whether it’s losing our players or our game, and with tomorrow’s journey over to New Douglas Park uppermost on everyone’s agenda, not only is there attention on the aching need to arrest the away days slump blighting our season, but on the concerns about fitness and injuries as provoked by this unforgiving terrain too.

Steven Gerrard himself has already protested these pitches, and following the Jamie Murphy incident against Clarke’s side, we can see why.

And we won’t use it as an entire excuse to the atrocity v Gary Holt’s lot, but it was no innocent bystander either.

Defender Nikola Katic has been vocal in condemning 3G pitches in the past, citing his height as why the material is so bad for his physique, and making his selection tomorrow extremely unlikely regardless of his fitness.

But the reality is Jamie Murphy lost a potential year of his career thanks to the way the pitch grabbed his leg, the manner of which wouldn’t happen on grass, and that was followed up by a horrific performance on Livi’s own version of this demon ground.

Admittedly, Rangers’ players failed to show up that day – but one can’t help wonder if half the reason for that was the trepidation over that awful turf having seen what happened to Murphy. It’s no real excuse – you should always give 100% even if you fear injury because you’re paid to do exactly that.

But it weighs on the mind, and we are more than a touch aware that Hamilton hold an advantage as such tomorrow.

The old ‘both teams are on the same surface, even playing field’ excuse gets used a lot – true, they are, but one of those teams is on that surface half of the entire season; they are a hell of a lot more accustomed to it!

In short, that reason doesn’t wash. We already polled our readers – and the overwhelming response was to outlaw 3G. Of course it won’t happen, and as a result our players are going to have to put up with this cheap, nasty amateur surface which is simply not befitting professional footballers.

We just pray, somehow, that our players don’t get hurt and the psychological impact of the surface is minimised enough to allow our players to deliver properly.

But especially that we don’t lose anyone else.

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13 COMMENTS

  1. Any idea if there is a 3G pitch at Auchenhowie? If yes then hopefully we've been playing practice matches on it during the prep for this game.

  2. I would love to see the end of it, But these teams will keep using it because its cost efficient & the SFA/SPFL will do hee Haw about it

    Another note IBROXNOISE can you give the Gazza petition another "Bump" as its nearly at the 25k target cheers

  3. I've never ran on fake grass, but am assuming if it's that long, it's grabbing around a stud and causing injury, or getting matted, grabbing boots, that's just plain dangerous. What's the solution, that's fair to all parties??

    • Going to have to go the Dutch route and help these clubs out financially. I’d have no problem if we paid for Kilmarnock to get a new pitch and then let our grounds men look after it for them

  4. Don't forget Graham Dorrans season ending injury last season at Kilmarnocks plaky pitch and hes still not fully recovered, it seams he's going to be out for at least a good couple of months because he needs surgery .time to get rid of these fucking pitches..FUCK THE SFA..No Surrender….

  5. Livis 3g is the worst, they have doubled the amount of rubber on it, brushed most into middle of the park so teams cannot play slick 1 touch football and striking from distance is harder as ball is constantly wobbling, wings too have lots on it and very uneven making it difficult for wing play, hence the reason they play hump it and rush.

  6. What’s the situation with other clubs? What kind of injury stats are they picking up? If so how can they ignore the problem? Is it only us that has the problem?

  7. Only one way this will get changed is through the PFA with the players union members voting for its immediate withdrawal. Remember employees are entitled to a safe working environment free from potential injury which this surface does threaten to produce every game

  8. Lets Just Hope we come off that Pitch with the 3pts and No Injuries.

    I think any Team who plays in the Top Division of their Country with a Plastic Pitch should be Fined & Demoted. 👊
    …But Nothing will change

  9. I've been thinking about these artificial pitches this weekend and I think I have one idea, for a solution. The smaller teams can't afford to change them, and telling them, they have to get rid, might not be fair to them. But it's not fair to bigger teams like us and Celtic, cos it's a threat to our players. So I was thinking, maybe teams could lobby the SFA for permission to wear flat-soled trainers, to play on these artificial surfaces. No studs. You know, something like an Adidas Samba, in design. I think if both teams, played in different footwear on these surfaces, there would be less injury and the smaller teams won't go bankrupt because they can't pay groundsmen wages and equipment costs. Let me know what you all think on that.

  10. If wee Teams like Stirling Albion etc can manage & afford to play on Grass then How the Fk can Killie/Hamilton not afford it? 🤔

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