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Aston Villa midfielder James Milner: The Wembley pitch is not good enough for England
Villa star disappointed with Wembley surface...
1 Mar 2010 22:59:00
By Steve Alexander
Aston Villa star James Milner has criticised the state of the Wembley pitch claiming it is not good enough "for the home of the England team."
The midfielder was unhappy with the surface during his sides League Cup final defeat to Manchester United on Sunday, although he accepts the heavy rain may have been a factor.
"The Wembley pitch was very difficult to play on. It was slippy, cutting up, and hopefully it can improve because it wasn't good," Milner told Press Association Sport.
"You work as hard as you can to get into a Wembley cup final and it is probably one of the worst pitches you have played on all season."
Milner claims the pitch has not been in great condition ever since the new national stadium opened three years ago and is in a worse state than some of the lower league pitches Villa have played on this season.
He said: "It was worse than the couple of lower league team's pitches we have played on, to be honest.
"Growing up and watching games at the old Wembley, everyone says it was like a carpet. In a cup final, you want to be playing in a great stadium, which it is, on a great pitch.
"I've played there before so I knew what to expect.
"But the other thing is, it is the home of England and, for us as a team, you want the best surface possible and, at the moment, it is not quite there."
| Bet: | Returns: | Norway £37.50 | Draw £33.00 | England £19.09 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Norway £35.00 | Draw £33.00 | England £21.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Norway £31.50 | Draw £32.00 | England £21.10 |
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The midfielder was unhappy with the surface during his sides League Cup final defeat to Manchester United on Sunday, although he accepts the heavy rain may have been a factor.
"The Wembley pitch was very difficult to play on. It was slippy, cutting up, and hopefully it can improve because it wasn't good," Milner told Press Association Sport.
"You work as hard as you can to get into a Wembley cup final and it is probably one of the worst pitches you have played on all season."
Milner claims the pitch has not been in great condition ever since the new national stadium opened three years ago and is in a worse state than some of the lower league pitches Villa have played on this season.
He said: "It was worse than the couple of lower league team's pitches we have played on, to be honest.
"Growing up and watching games at the old Wembley, everyone says it was like a carpet. In a cup final, you want to be playing in a great stadium, which it is, on a great pitch.
"I've played there before so I knew what to expect.
"But the other thing is, it is the home of England and, for us as a team, you want the best surface possible and, at the moment, it is not quite there."
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