World Cup

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World Cup | Qualifiers

Oct 17, 2012 at 4pm UK

Poland
1-1
England

Roy Hodgson wants National Stadium roof closed to avoid further problems

By Liam Power, Reporter | 16 October 2012

Roy Hodgson urges ground staff at the National Stadium in Warsaw to act quickly in order to make the pitch playable for England's rescheduled World Cup qualifier against Poland tomorrow.

England manager Roy Hodgson has admitted that he is disappointed with the surface of the National Stadium in Warsaw and wants the stadium roof closed quickly to avoid any further damage to the pitch.

Hodgson has to deal with a 24-hour delay to England's World Cup qualifier against Poland after a waterlogged pitch prevented the match from going ahead on schedule.

A farcical situation ensued after Poland insisted that the stadium's roof stayed open on Tuesday afternoon despite torrential rain hitting the capital, making the pitch unplayable hours before kickoff.

Hodgson told the Football Association's official website that the ground staff must act quickly to get the pitch in a playable condition.

He said: "A 5pm kickoff on a Wednesday afternoon might be more difficult for them.

"I'm rather hoping they'll get the roof closed as quickly as possible and start to do some work on the pitch because at the moment it is in a very poor condition.

"The water is lying on the surface and it's going to need a lot of attention if it's going to be playable tomorrow afternoon."

England will play the Poles at 4pm UK time tomorrow to allow the waterlogged pitch to be drained and made playable.