Source: Team_Talk
Redknapp calls for Astroturf ban
Harry Redknapp has called for Astroturf to be banned from the Champions League after his Tottenham side just avoided humiliation at Young Boys. Spurs suffered a nightmare start in what was their first European Cup-tie for almost half a century, their unfancied Swiss opponents tearing their hapless defence to shreds in the opening half-hour in Bern.But goals from Sebastien Bassong and Roman Pavyluchenko ensured Redknapp's men would take a 3-2 defeat back to London and retain their favourites' tag ahead of next Wednesday's return leg at White Hart Lane.Redknapp had refused to criticise the Stade de Suisse's plastic pitch in the build-up to tonight's game but let rip after the match, revealing the four changes he had made were all due to fears it would cause some of his players serious injury.Although insisting it was a better surface than earlier Astroturf pitches, Redknapp said: "It's not an excuse but I played on Astroturf myself and hated every minute of it."We've had it at QPR; we don't have it anymore in England."I don't agree with Astroturf and I don't think Astroturf should be used in a competition like this."Redknapp, who left captain Ledley King at home due to the pitch, revealed he had held a meeting with his unhappy squad about it last night.He added: "I left four players out because they weren't comfortable on the pitch in training yesterday."Aaron Lennon wasn't comfortable, Robbie (Keane) had a problem with his knee. Tom Huddlestone, last time he played on Astroturf, he was out for six weeks - his knee blew up like a balloon."So I didn't really want to risk Tom tonight. It was a case that we were pretty desperate and I threw him on."Redknapp admitted his side got out of jail this evening, saying: "It was a great defeat - if there's such a thing as a great defeat."At 3-0 down, we were staring down the barrel, weren't we, really?"We were in desperate trouble."Spurs defended appallingly in the opening 28 minutes, conceding perfectly preventable goals to Senad Lulic, Henri Bienvenu and Xavier Hochstrasser."We were all over the show," Redknapp said."From the first minute, we started sloppily, they hit the post and it went on."Just shows you that there are no easy games. We watched them Saturday and they were poor, but what happens in big games?"I have been there myself a million times. I have lower-division teams that have played Man United or whoever, people work, press and close and play with that enthusiasm - it levels the teams."They did that tonight. Didn't give us time to settle on the ball."They ran all over us in the first half hour."Spurs' woes deepened when they lost both Jermain Defoe and Luka Modric to injuries which Redknapp confirmed made them doubtful for Saturday's Barclays Premier League game at Stoke.On tonight's evidence, he will need both fit for next week's return clash with Young Boys."Our plan is to get after them at White Hart Lane," he said."It'll be a fantastic crowd, great atmosphere, we're at home."We have to win the game. If we win the game, we have a great chance to go through, obviously, with the two away goals."Young Boys boss Vladimir Petkovic was delighted with the result, revealing he would have gladly taken it before kick-off."I'm very happy, very satisfied," he said."If, before the match, somebody had told me this would be the case, I would have been very happy."I'm very proud of the team, of the team spirit, of their interpretation of football and the team were very mentally strong."He added: "The first 30-35 minutes, we were very good - perfect."We played tactically very well and we had some very dangerous movements."It was difficult to keep the rhythm for the 90 minutes."Their second goal shouldn't have been made but I'm still very proud of the team."