When the Socceroos take on Spain in Curitiba, Brazil, on June 23, they will play on a pitch given the tick of approval by Tarneit’s Justin Lang.
At the request of world-leading turf consultants Sports Turf Research Institute,
Mr Lang (pictured), who is AAMI Park’s sportsfield co-ordinator, is on his way to Brazil to inspect the pitch at Baixada Arena.
The arena will host four group stage matches at the World Cup, including Australia versus Spain on June 23.
Mr Lang was selected to travel to Brazil for his skills in managing AAMI Park’s playing surface, which is used for soccer, rugby and rugby league games.
“This will be my career highlight so far – possibly the biggest I will ever have,” he said. “I’ve never been overseas before ,so you can imagine the scrambling to get my passport, vaccinations, banking and phones sorted.
“The encouragement from my wife, Brooke, and my two little boys, Spence and Tighe, couldn’t be underestimated.”
Mr Lang expects the pitch at Baixada Arena to have a similar surface to those in Australian stadiums. He will be looking for a flat pitch, with a good ball roll and cushioning for
players.
“The soil must be consistent, well-drained, and it’s important that the whole pitch has consistent hardness,” he said.“The one thing players don’t like is inconsistency of hardness. To get these aspects right, you need to get the agronomy of the pitch right first.”
Laura Michell
