Life's a pitch for Hateley

[Jim White 0]

Tom Hateley is considering quitting Motherwell unless the club sort out their Fir Park pitch.

 

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Tom Hateley is considering quitting Motherwell unless the club sort out their Fir Park pitch.

 

Hateley is out of contract at the end of the season and is in talks over a new deal, which will reportedly keep him at the club until 2013.

 

The player is advised by his father - former Rangers and England striker Mark - who fears his son's development is being held back by the much-criticised surface at Fir Park.

 

Hateley senior told the Daily Record: "In an ideal world, Tom wouldn't be thinking of going anywhere else. He could earn more elsewhere but money is not what it's about right now. For the next year to 18 months, it is all about developing his game and his technique.

 

"He is happy at Motherwell and feels he can develop as a player under Craig (Brown). But not on that pitch.

 

"He needs to add things to his game but the only thing he'll add on a surface like that is a couple of inches around his thighs. You can't expect young players to improve by playing on a beach."

 

Brown can understand Hateley's frustration with the state of the pitch, but remains hopeful of keeping the player.

 

"I know exactly where Tom is coming from. The park does not go down well with our players," noted Brown.

 

"It would be terrible to lose a promising young player because of the state of our pitch but I do agree with Tom when he says his development could be harmed by playing on a playing surface such as ours.

 

"However, the club is doing everything in its power to fix it."

Edited April 22, 2010 by Zappa

[Zappa 0]

How hypocritical is that? I seem to remember Craig Brown saying there was nothing wrong with the pitch and that he'd seen worse in the SPL...