Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter

Members of a Jamaica Football Federation contingent, general manager of all national teams, Howard Bell (left), and interim national coach, Theodore Whitmore (second left), are escorted by Independence Park Limited (IPL) general manager, Major Desmond Brown (second right), and IPL executive Dalton Brown as they inspect the recently renovated pitch at National Stadium. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer

WITH JUST eight days to go before Jamaica's crucial World Cup qualifier against Mexico, the pitch at the National Stadium is not 100 per cent.

However, managers Independence Park Limited (IPL) yesterday gave assurances that it will be fine for the October 11 match.

Despite the appearance of being greatly improved - compared to just one month ago - patches of uneven grass could still be seen on the pitch when a team of journalists and Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) officials toured the site yesterday.

"It's not 100 per cent as yet. We had a little bit of setback with the rain washing off the surface, but we have a few more treatments to go and it is looking good," the general manager of IPL, Desmond Brown, told the group yesterday.

Four-feet long hole

In August, then Jamaica technical director René Simoes had complained about the condition of the field, including a hole about four feet long, which the IPL said was dug up by stray animals and not, as previously thought, by the Independence Day celebrations. Inspection of the well-grassed facility yesterday showed no evidence of the trench having ever existed. Brown revealed that refurbishment of the pitch is an expensive venture.

"You are looking at close to a million dollars worth of work," Brown said.

"Maintaining the pitch isn't easy. Whenever we needed to do it we had to rent equipment, and there are several other maintenance costs, including operating a well and pump, to consider," he said.

Purchased own equipment

The general manager, however, said the company purchased its own equipment, and that regular and consistent maintenance of the facility could be expected from now on.

"We have recently purchased our own equipment so we can do our own maintenance work on it regularly. We don't expect to have this type of problem again," he said.

That comes as good news for interim national coach Theodore Whitmore who, along with the rest of the JFF contingent and members of the media, seemed to have doubts about the pitch being perfect for the Mexico game.

"Well, looking at it so far, I would say there is still a lot of work to be done by the 11th," Whitmore said.

"We have, however, been assured that it will be ready by then, so we will have to wait and see," he said. The national team is expected to begin training on Monday.