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Everton coach David Moyes has backed Australia's bid to host the 2022 World Cup, but criticised the pitches mid-way through the English Premier League side's pre-season tour Down Under.
"I think Australia should get the World Cup, I think the country can take it," he told reporters after Everton defeated Melbourne Heart 2-0 at the Docklands Stadium on Wednesday.
"You've got great stadiums, albeit your pitches aren't very good. That's the one disappointment coming here ... I thought you've got everything, all the sports, all the stadiums, but your fields aren't made for soccer the way they are back home."
Australia dropped out of the race for the 2018 World Cup but has spruiked its sports infrastructure as a competitive advantage in its 2022 bid.
More than 40,000 spectators watched Everton defeat A-League champions Sydney FC 1-0 on Saturday at Sydney's hulking Olympic stadium.
Less than half that watched the game in Melbourne, another large oval-shaped stadium more suited to Australian Rules, whose players have also raised safety concerns about the surface.
Everton play the final match of their Australian tour in Brisbane at Lang Park on Saturday, whose main tenants include local rugby and rugby league teams.