Newcastle’s Culina unhappy with Townsville stay

Newcastle Jets coach Branko Culina is frustrated that his team has had to extend its original three-day stay in Townsville to six.

After the clash with North Queensland Fury was called off on Saturday night, the Jets were forced to remain in the north for the rescheduled match which is to be played on Tuesday night.

But Culina feels, with better organisation, that the game could have been played today.

"It's cleared up and been quite sunny most of the day and quite warm," Culina said.

"My view all along was that after it got called off, today would have been the best day to play it.

"We trained on a pitch that was waterlogged yesterday and was bone dry today.

"The pitch would not have been a problem if Football Federation Australia had done their homework and possibly found out earlier if it could have been played today.

"There would have been no problem with the pitch, I assure you . . . I would have thought there would have been a plan B in place in case something like this did happen."

Culina admitted it was difficult to predict thins such as weather but said a contingency should be put in place in case these types of things did occur.

“You can never predict what the man upstairs is going to dish out but . . . if I was a coach and went into a game with only one plan, and no plan B, I'd be criticised," he added.

"So what I'm saying, is that, in future, they have a plan B in place.

"If there's a possibility games will be interrupted in the monsoon season, then be prepared for that before it happens."