 "Son Heung-min criticism forces South Korean authorities to review football pitches nationwide")
Seoul, South Korea: South Korean authorities said Thursday they will inspect elite-level football pitches across the country after national skipper Son Heung-min blamed poor playing surfaces for hurting their World Cup hopes.
Bad pitches have been a running theme in South Korean football with former Manchester United and England forward Jesse Lingard, now at FC Seoul, also weighing into the debate.Two home World Cup qualifiers this month were moved away from Seoul because of the state of the capital stadium’s turf, but Son also criticised the replacement venues.
“When we’re at home we’re supposed to enjoy the best playing conditions possible but things have not improved at all,” Son told reporters after Tuesday’s disappointing 1-1 draw with Jordan in Suwon.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said it will conduct a thorough inspection of pitches at all 27 K League stadiums starting in April.
Officials will also look at how other countries, including Japan, maintain their playing surfaces.
“The condition of a stadium’s pitch directly affects not only player performance but also injury prevention and spectator satisfaction,” a ministry official said.
“Through this inspection we aim to identify practical solutions for improving football pitch conditions and strengthen cooperation with the league, clubs and stadium operators to establish a sustainable management system.”
Following two home draws in a row in the past week, Tottenham star Son said: “I know we can play better than this but when conditions on our home soil get in the way, then I wonder where we should get our home advantage.”
South Korea are still on course for the 2026 World Cup in North America but the successive draws meant they squandered the chance to seal their place with room to spare.
Lingard, who moved to the K League last year, last month tripped over a chunk of turf while playing at home for his club.
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