Danger zone: Neil Alexander says Sydney's pitch could have caused serious injury. Pic: © SNS Group
Rangers drew 0-0 with Sydney FC in Australia on Wednesday but keeping a clean sheet was not important to goalkeeper Neil Alexander. The player had little to do in a match playing in horrendous conditions but watched his team-mates in fear, hoping none would suffer injury on a terrible pitch.
Kenny Miller was substituted due to his shin splints problem, Kyle Lafferty suffered cramp and Lee McCulloch took a heavy knock but Alexander said there could have been far more serious consequences given the conditions. The pitch was under water in some areas, a gale was blowing and Blackburn had already played AEK Athens earlier that day by the time Rangers took to the pitch.
"That's the worst I've played on,” Alexander told the Scottish Sun. “I've played in a lot of heavy, heavy rain but the surface has always been good. That was farcical."
"It was like the Hong Kong and South Korea trip with Scotland, when we trained in conditions like that. But these were farcical conditions, very dangerous.
"With the squad we've got, it's imperative that we keep everybody fit.
"Obviously I know they're under pressure to get the game on but the pitch was horrific.
Gers manager Walter Smith was also relieved the players who came off had not been seriously injured.
"I'm just pleased they all got out of it in one piece,” he said. “Kenny has a problem but we should be able to manage it."
The match was the SPL champions’ second at the Sydney Festival of Football. They will now face AEK Athens on Saturday before returning to Scotland for a series of friendlies ahead of the new season.
