Manager Paul Heckingbottom raised the issue earlier this season, with the lower grounds at their Shirecliffe training complex suffering badly from a mid-season downpour which forced them to train on their indoor surface.
Heckingbottom believes this may have contributed to a number of soft tissue injuries at the club in the second half of the season, and insisted it was a problem that needed to be addressed this summer.
Bettis says United are “just about there” in terms of finalizing the deal – which will cost just under £2m – for a contractor to start work on the pitches, and the job has the board approval to continue.
“The big problem that Paul had and highlighted was the pitches that the first team trains on,” Bettis said.
“We spent around £600,000-700,000 about two seasons ago on them when Chris [Wilder] was still there and we thought that solved the situation, but it obviously didn’t. There were a number of issues with the drainage.
“We’ve spoken to a number of contractors and we’re pretty much there to finalize the sum to get them there and he has board approval to proceed.
“When the weather is nice, there is no problem with [the pitches]. The problem is in winter, when they become a lake rather than a playground.”
The work is not expected to be completed in time for pre-season, with United making arrangements to use other grounds at Shirecliffe for their preparations ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.
“I don’t think that’s a problem,” Bettis added.
“We had three managers and at various times some wanted to stay in the first team building, and some wanted to go down to the academy.
“We’ve gone back and forth and it’s becoming a manager’s choice, and we really need to take control of it.
“We’ve made a lot of improvements in the offices and they have a much better working environment. The other two areas are the pitches, where we are more or less present and engaged, and the dressing rooms, and that’s the last part of the equation.
More about this article: Read More
Source: www.thestar.co.uk
This notice was published: 2022-05-30 18:10:22
