Ramovic criticises pitch conditions at Stellenbosch

TS Galaxy coach Saed Ramovic lashed out at the Premier Soccer League after his side lost their MTN8 quarterfinal to Stellenbosch on Sunday, criticising the league for allowing the game to go ahead on a poor playing surface.

The pitch at the Danie Craven Stadium had been badly scared by recent rugby matches, notably in wet conditions during the U-20 Rugby World Cup.

“When you try to fight the whole season to get into the MTN8 and then you come into a game where probably a cow could break its leg, and you allow the two teams to play on a horrible pitch like it is, then where are the standards from the PSL?” he asked after the 3-1 defeat for the competition debutants.

Galaxy finished a club record sixth in the league last season to qualify to play in the MTN8 for the first time.

“I don’t know how they can allow that a game on a professional level be allowed to play on a field like. I think the next time if we play again against Stellenbosch, maybe in the Nedbank Cup, we should play in a swimming pool! It's the same thing. It's embarrassing. It's very bad but I think that we still tried to play well. I think that we still tried to get into the game.”

Gaalxy took the lead after 18 minutes through Kamogelo Sebelebele but were 2-1 down at halftime after Jayden Adams equalised and then Andre de Jong netted from a corner.

“We scored the first goal but after that we conceded easy goals but, all in all, I give a lot of credit again to my team, how they behaved, the effort and the attitude was just great,” Ramovic added.

“But the main thing is the field was for both teams, not only for us, I also think Stellenbosch. They also like to play. They’re not a team that likes to play the long ball. It's very sad because it could have been a beautiful game. And then we ask ourselves why spectators don't come to watch a game like this.”