Rain's Silver Lining: No Lawn Diseases in Cologne
Exploring Steffen Baumgart's Reaction to Cologne's Turf Dilemma
What stirred Baumgart's ire? Following the 1:1 draw against Augsburg, Baumgart expressed his frustration, stating, "This is no longer amusing. We are the only stadium lacking a decent pitch since the 3rd division. It's high time this city managed to install a proper pitch. If anyone ends up injuring themselves, this is supposed to be a European Championship stadium. Perhaps everyone will eventually realize the gravity of the situation."
Wingerath's Response: In defiance of Baumgart's allegations, Wingerath claimed, "Our team collaborates with external experts regularly, and they inspected the pitch this week. The water content in the turf base layer, nutrient supply, and visual condition were all deemed acceptable. At present, there are no lawn diseases to worry about."
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Cologne's Notorious Turf: Despite Wingerath's assertions, Cologne's decked-out pitch cannot be disregarded. The FC professionals and Augsburg's players alike grappled with the slippery surface during the match, leading certain Augsburg players to change shoes prior to the game.
The Rain's Blame Game: According to the city, the torrential rain of the last few days is responsible for the subpar conditions. Wingerath confessed, "Unfortunately, our team has no control over the continuous, heavy rainfall of late, the effects can only be mitigated by countermeasures, which have been implemented."
However, this explanation does not fully address the recurring issues. The pervasive problem of a slick and unyielding terrain at the RheinEnergie Stadion originated last winter and persisted even after a new turf was laid during the summer. Multiple league coaches have aired their grievances over the playing conditions in Cologne.
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Baumgart's Laughter at City's Expense: As Baumgart's criticisms began to circulate, Cologne city officials retaliated. Wingerath countered with, "Considering the attention showered upon other stadium pitches, it would be prudent to remind everyone that our pitch at Viktoria Köln in Höhenberg was recently crowned the best in the third division."
Doubtlessly, Viktoria may take pride in their award, but it will not benefit Baumgart or FC in their relegation struggle, as they currently compete in Germany's top tier.
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