We deserve better than than this 'sub-standard icy Wembley pitch' slams Croatia boss Bilic

The former West Ham defender, whose team can knock out England by winning the final qualifying game, condemned the Wembley surface as "no good" after his players trained in the driving rain in an eve-of-match session.

Bilic described the pitch as "very slippery, like ice" after he and his players had struggled to come to terms with how easily the top surface cut away during an hour's exercise.

And he claimed the first qualifying decider to be played at the new Wembley would not be getting a pitch to match the grandeur of the occasion.

"It is not the condition which Wembley is known for. The stadium and this game really deserves a better pitch," said Bilic.

"The top looks soft, but underneath it is hard and it is very slippery, like ice. It is not good for us, but it is definitely no good for England because they like to pass the ball as well."

Wembley officials, who have been using heat lamps to try to help beat the wet, said head groundsman Steve Welch and his team had been "working round the clock" since last month's American Football game to ensure the best possible conditions for the match.

The Croatians played on a quagmire when losing against Macedonia in Skopje last weekend, leaving Portsmouth midfielder Niko Kranjcar to quip: "It is not the best pitch — but after Macedonia, any pitch looks good!"