Emma Hayes believes Chelsea ‘s WSL game with Liverpool should never have started after it was abandoned within minutes of kick-off.
Referee Paul Howard made the decision that the pitch wasn’t safe after just six minutes of action, with the two sides led off down the tunnel. The Kingsmeadow crowd were then told the game would not resume and had been abandoned.
“You could see from the opening minutes that it was like an ice rink down the sides,” Hayes told BBC, who were broadcasting the game live. “Matt Beard was upset that it even got to point and he’s right.
“It’s not for managers to decide if it’s on – it’s up to the FA and officials. We have to say to ourselves that it’s time for undersoil heating. We’ve got to take our game seriously. Yes, we can have our blowers and pitch tents but it’s not enough.
“The game should never have started. Everyone wanted to get the game on but when you have got emotions of teams wanting or not wanting to play, that’s when you need a decision from above. The FA weren’t here – they need to be making the decision.”
Hayes also didn’t understand why the original pitch inspection was passed. A tent heat and blowers were still being used to try and clear icy areas of the pitch as both teams made their way out for the warm-up.
Pedro Soares/SPP/REX/Shutterstock)
“It wasn’t playable at 9.30,” Hayes added. “So they said to give it until 2. There was a section that was quite hard, so they put blowers on it.
“They tested everywhere else and it wasn’t too bad, but as soon as you take the covers off it becomes a different situation.
“On top of that, the temperature hasn’t changed. When the sun rises and you get your feet on the grass, sometimes it can change – but it’s a block underneath and not playable. I saw Niamh Charles slip. I understand; we have to put player safety first.
“We’ve made progress with investment into the quality of grasses and surfaces across the league. No game at the top level of the women’s game should be cancelled. We need undersoil heating – we don’t live in Barbados.”
England legend Ian Wright, a friend of Hayes who had worked alongside her as a pundit during the European Championships, also took to Twitter to give his view on the farcical situation.
The former Arsenal centre forward quote tweeted: “So who said the game must go ahead????”
This was in response to a tweet from Molly Hudson that read: “Emma Hayes has confirmed to the BBC that the referee said the pitch wasn’t playable at 9:30am. WHY was it not cancelled. Farcical.”
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