The new look, redesigned Service Dealer magazine goes bi-monthly in 2014 with a host of new and familiar features.
First issue will contain:
2014 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY REPORT HERITAGE AWARDS PROFILE OF DAVID WITHERS LIVES REMEMBERED BTME PREVIEW LAMMA PREVIEW DIARY OF A SEASON + 2014 EVENT PLANNER
IOG CRITICISE FIFA OVER ALL-WEATHER PITCHES People being seduced over inaccurate claims
The Institute of Groundsmanship's chief executive Geoff Webb has said he will "go into battle" in support of grounds staff whose roles are threatened by the growing clamour for all-weather pitches.
A panel discussion at the IOG Raising the Game conference at Coventry last week agreed that areas with extreme weather can benefit, but there were major concerns at the marketing of artificial turf as "all-weather". One member of the panel, David Rhodes said, "With 'all-weather' often came the term 'maintenance-free' which was not the case at all.”
Consultant Professor Eric Harrison had earlier revealed results of machinery tests on artificial turf, said that in blind tests 83 per cent of footballers preferred natural turf and 17 per cent artificial but when younger players were tested the numbers flipped, possibly due to younger players growing up playing on artificial pitches.
Geoff Webb said natural turf had suffered from a lack of investment for too long. "Now is the time that natural turf needs to stand up. Groundsmen are much more in tune with the change than most people realise. Where it’s wrong is where you have a sales pitch with lies about the turf industry.”
He criticised FIFA for "almost bankrolling the industry" and said "people at the top have been seduced by the messaging" of artificial.
"There’s this common misconception about the management of a grass pitch. The perception is that groundsmanship is old-fashioned and antiquated - and that is plainly wrong. My message is ‘don’t drop the groundsman for a synthetic pitch.
"This is an issue that IOG will definitely go into battle on.”
