James McPake said that young players more than ever are comfortable with playing Astroturf.
The Dunfermline Athletic manager sees pros and cons to the surfaces and accepts that, like with most things, some are better than others.
He said he “hated” playing on them but that came at a time when they weren’t as frequently used and he wonders how much of that was “psychological”.
Speaking ahead of his side’s trip to Balmoor this weekend – the only other League 1 ground other than East End Park with an artificial surface – McPake highlighted certain subtle changes it has had on Scotland’s young players.
He started his coaching career with the youngsters at Dundee before becoming first-team manager.
During that time and his spell in the top job there, and at Dunfermline thus far, he has seen how their game has altered.
Certain skills gone
“You sometimes see, coming from an academy background, the slide tackle goes away, the getting your body in certain positions goes away – because they’re so used to playing on the artificial surfaces,” said McPake.
“To a degree the touch at times goes away because the ball does run so true and you’re not having to deal with a heavy pitch or different conditions.
“There are pros and cons for it for the younger ones.”
Courier Sport earlier in the season looked at McPake’s impressive record on plastic, something he has kept up since other than the defeat to Montrose.
He points to their most recent opponents Celtic B, defeated by his youthful Dunfermline side defeated in the SPFL Trust Trophy.
For McPake this is evidence that the average technique of a player has improved in Scotland in recent times.
Youngsters enjoy it
“We saw a great academy side, or a great B team, out there on Tuesday night that moved the ball great and they train and play most of their games on astro as well.
“That’s the way it is. The kids now, I think they enjoy it because they’re that used to it, they’re familiar with it.
“But there’s still also that excitement of walking out onto a great grass pitch.”
“Like the other night [versus Celtic B], it’s wet, the ball moves great.
“That’s a credit to the groundsman – or maybe that’s just my excitement, because when I walk in and you see the pitch with the lights on it, it takes you back to the games you’ve played and you get that wee buzz again.”
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