This is a message to those who administer the Championship of the English Football League, thinly disguised as a piece written for MyFootballWriter.
As I write, we are currently being forced to fulfil a fixture at Deepdale, home of Preston North End FC at 1500 hours on Good Friday, April 2. We have asked for this fixture to be moved to the following day to allow a swathe of our players a little recovery time from their international commitments, with at least six of these players returning as late as the early hours of Thursday, April 1. An appropriate date.
While you, the EFL, will move a match to 0300 on a Monday morning for the sake of television you have rejected our request out of hand. I can understand Preston themselves not agreeing to the brief delay because they have no current internationals unless one of their Under-23s plays for either San Marino or the Faroe Islands. If such a player exists I apologise for my ignorance of his international pedigree.
So unless you, the EFL [who have every right to overrule any Preston objections], change your minds we are faced with a situation like this.
We have two senior goalkeepers away on international duty. Tim Krul is with the Netherlands and Orjan Nyland is on duty for Norway, while our third – 20-year-old Daniel Barden – was supposed to be away with the Welsh Under-21s but had to withdraw due to injury. We have no further senior keepers available as Michael Govern will not be back in team training until mid-April at the earliest.
So, let’s proceed to the back four. Max Aarons has been called up by England Under-21s and Grant Hanley into the Scotland squad, Dimitris Giannoulis is required by Greece. But after a bad incident involving a concussion, whether or not he joins up with his national squad remains in the lap of the gods. (He did – Ed).
In addition, centre-back Andrew Omobamidele has also been called up by the Republic of Ireland Under-21s.
Moving into defensive midfield, Oliver Skipp joins Max in the England Under-21s while Kenny McLean accompanies Grant on Scotland duty. Does it get any easier for us from here?
No, not really.
Moving on to the 3-1 of our archetypal 4-2-3-1, we have Teemu Pukki, a Finnish national hero, potentially playing two qualifiers and possibly a meaningless friendly. And Mason Greenwood, God bless him, has done a last-minute drop out from the England Under-21 squad, so Todd Cantwell joins up with Max and Olly.
Are you watching, EFL? Do you care? I know the answer to both questions.
Then if we consider what roughly currently constitutes our bench we have Pepe Placheta with Poland and quite possibly Onel Hernandez with Cuba. If Adam Idah or Michael McGovern had been fit or available they would have been away with the RoI and Northern Ireland respectively.
Do you, the EFL, think I have the right to deny any of these players to turn out for their respective countries?
No, I do not have that right. But I have the absolute right to demand from you: when an absolute minimum of six of these players will not return to the UK until [at best] the early hours of Thursday morning after playing on the preceding Wednesday night, what gives you the right to refuse a kick-off delay against Preston by around 18 hours or so?
You’d be quick enough to move a fixture for television money – the EFL gets a cut just like the clubs do. Because there’s no money in it for you, you won’t sanction briefly moving the fixture just to give us a fighting chance of fielding a minimally refreshed squad?
I don’t give a monkey’s chuff that the PNE board have dispensed with the services of wee Alex Neil. Big Frankie McAvoy has nearly a fortnight to work with their squad while by the time the NCFC squad reconvenes, some of our players probably won’t even remember who their returning colleagues are.
Should this fixture not be deferred it will prove what we already know. Those in power are prepared to sit back and watch as players, ever willing in the case of our current crop, are flogged to death on a whim. Their whim.
And what might the knock-on effect be? I’ll spell it out but MFW readers will instinctively know anyway.
Muscle strains, pulls and tears. Plus the possibility of much more serious injury.
Daniel Farke and his coaching team, particularly head of performance Chris Domogalla, will surely be dreading this fixture for the reasons I have mentioned and will have a more informed inside track than I could ever hope to possess. Will they even have time to evaluate the returnees before seeing if they can train?
EFL: This is not a whine on behalf of NCFC. It’s a personal plea for you to utilise some common sense.
Our club will cope with whatever you chuck at us.
Even if we’re being penalised for having too many international players for your apparent liking.
Come on you EFL suits – prove you’re not the bunch of to$$.ers we currently think you are and do the decent thing.
Put the fe.cking game back until Saturday!!!
Yours with no faith
Martin
Hi Martin
An excellent read on a Noah day.
The EFL along with the FA says they are the players protecters and like to think they see fair play in the game.
I can see logic in not changing the game if it was on TV as that would upset the schedules but this is a Friday night game that that could even be put back to Sunday and with no supporters to worry about only the clubs will be inconvenienced.
The EFL would possibly agree to moving it if PNE also agreed as we have seen previously with early starts that both clubs want so I suppose without that then their hands are tied.
PNE possible see this as away of getting points on the board to ensure they aren’t dragged into the dogfight at the bottom of the league.
Deaf ears 👂 from all the concerned parties and Watford will be rubbing their hands with glee with city possibly losing a couple of points.
Onwards and upwards
OTBC
Stay Safe and Stay Healthy 🙏
Hi Alex
Yes you make the point that Farke expanded on in his *I will say this only once* speech last week as in how can the EFL claim to protect players and their physical and mental well-being when they do something like this?
Hypocrisy isn’t the word for it, is it?
We’ve coped with this type of thing before of course but the timing here could not be worse from a Norwich City point of view.
Cheers mate
You wrote EFL and common sense in the same paragraph. Schoolboy error.
Sorry if you found that offensive mate – I apologise 🙂
Cheers
I wholeheartedly agree with your comments. It is totally inconsiderate and is downright stupidity not to move this fixture but does it surprise anybody ?
( for the record PNE do have 2 players who have been called into the ROI senior squad) .
Regards
MO’Donnell
life long pne fan
Hi M O’D.
Thanks for putting me straight on Preston’s international duo. MFW always likes to hear from supporters of other clubs
I hope you have better fortune with Frankie McAvoy than we ever did – after the next match at Deepdale of course 🙂
Preston have game on Monday so playing on Saturday gives us little time for recovery. Norwich don’t have a Monday game.Preston have players on international duty as well, not as many as Norwich granted but we all have our challenges .Norwich are fighting to go up,Preston are fighting to stay up and have important games to play in a short time.We all know these games had to be played so lets just get on with it.
Hi Neil
We thought we’d get a few PNE fans on this article and it’s good to hear from you.
I can see where you’re coming from on this. We were down to play Huddersfield on the Monday until dear old Sky came along and pushed it back a day. At the end of the day of course it has to be – and will be played. I’m arguing with the EFL, not PNE.
By the way I’ve seen quite a bit of you on the box this season and I think *fighting to stay up* is a bit strong, although granted the sales of Pearson and Davies can’t have helped.
Thank you
Whilst I see your point & if we were in your position, we wouldn’t be happy, From a PNE perspective, if we played on Saturday, that wouldn’t be fair on us as we have a game on Monday & also have to travel down to Swansea for the game. Why would we disadvantage ourselves by agreeing to move the Friday match back? You don’t have a game on Monday, so it isn’t an issue for you.
Hi Phil.
I completely forgot you had Swansea away on the Monday and we certainly want you to be at your finest for that particular fixture.
But the EFL have known about this situation for weeks and under the circumstances [I follow your fixtures about as closely as you would mine] it wouldn’t have been a bad idea to move the game towards the end of April – there must have been a theoretical window in there somewhere.
Thank you.
Sorry just realised you suggested moving the game to Sunday. Like I said , we have a game the next day, so not definitely not possible unless that was moved as well.
Understood – both games would indeed have to be moved. Still possible tho.
Agree with al of that except that according to both club sites and the EFL site, KO is at 15:00 not 19:45 – worse still!
Great minds think alike. I’ve just posted an almost identical comment.
Thanks MFW
We’ve put that right as you’ll see. My bad 🙂
Agree with everything you say, but it gets worse! The KO time is actually listed as 15.00 and not 19.45.
Hi Graham
Great minds do indeed thing alike. Sorry, my bad!
Hi there, our game is played at 3pm on the 2nd which is good as it gives our new ‘manager’ time to work with the squad until then, of course you wouldn’t give a chuffed because you’re an arrogant arse. Chances are the fixture won’t be moved as neither club will be willing too as they have players on international duty so what sense does that make? Also find it funny how you say ‘flogged to death’ being the best bit. As though a bunch of Norwich players sitting on the bench watching their better colleagues play is somehow going to lead to their early demise. The world does not revolve around Norwich City
Hi Connor
When I wrote this I didn’t realise Preston had a game at Swansea on Easter Monday.
But cut me some slack – I bet you don’t know any more about our fixtures than I do about yours. For me the football world does indeed revolve around Norwich City as I bet yours does around the Lilywhites. All supporters are the same at heart, after all.
I don’t think there’s much arrogance in complaining that one manager doesn’t see half his squad for over 10 days while the other gets a free run during the same period. Plus McAvoy already knows his squad which should benefit both himself and his players.
Anyway a good comment – it’s always good to hear the opposition view.
Thank you.
Actually, Martin, while appreciating a good counter-argument (which this isn’t), his comment was neither good nor polite.
Firstly I don’t recall you calling anyone names in your article….but I may have to read it again to be fair. I also do not recall you maligning the PNE players for “sitting on the bench watching their betters play” either.
What a shame someone cannot put a disputing view without resorting to name-calling.
Finally, it is not the fault of NCFC that PNE has a new manager it is the fault of PNE who firstly hired a defence-minded, negative individual who, while I am sure is a really nice bloke, is not the right man to advance a football team, and then by selling his two best players and telling him to get on with it.
This is not a club v club matter it is the EFL showing a total lack of due care and attention in providing a safe and healthy work environment for its employees and they should be, and in this great article by Mr Penney have been, held to account for action which would not be acceptable in a modern workplace.
Hi Gordon
I actually enjoyed hearing from the opposition fans – you have to accept there’s always going to be the odd bit of name calling but Gary is a real live moderator and when on the odd occasion we get something a bit too naughty it never sees the light of day.
As you rightly say it isn’t a club v club matter in any way – I can’t understand how anybody thought that was the gist of the article!
Oh well, can’t win ’em all.
Cheers
Out of interest which players will keep Pukki out of the Finland team? Which players will be playing for England U21s instead of Aarons and Skipp? I guess as a late call up, Cantwell could well be on the bench for one of the 3 matches. Tim Krul is already playing the first of his 3 matches so I’m not sure which Norwich players will be sitting on the bench. Maybe you know more about the Norwich team than we do?
🙂
IT does around here
Its just the price of success I guess, Martin. The bigger/better clubs have better players, so must expect them to be called up for internationals. And to be honest, our squad has more depth and quality than most in this division. No point in whingeing on this one IMHO.
Hi Dan
Just the price of success or being penalised for success? I can’t really make my mind up on that one!
Daniel Farke wasn’t best pleased either but I guess you’re right as in there seems to very little point in complaining – but there’s nowt wrong with a good whinge every so often 🙂
Cheers
Well, you’ve certainly touched a raw nerve with some PNE supporters, Martin. Fancy not knowing of their many (2) international players. Shame on you! I can understand their concerns about the having to play on Monday – I suppose it would be too complicated for the EFL to shift that one to the Tuesday? Or is that one of the inviolable TV games? I guess we’re going to have to grin and bear it, and rely on the spirit in the team being stronger than the tired and weakened (and hopefully uninjured) flesh. I see Ollie Skipp has said that he wants to play at Preston, even if he’s had no sleep the night before. I know we always say he can do it with his eyes shut, but really?
Hi Jim
Yes I was expecting a reaction from some of the Preston boys and fair play to them – they support their club as much as we do ours.
I hadn’t picked up on the quote from Ollie Skipp but it doesn’t surprise me as we know he’ll want that *ever present* tick in the box during a promotion season particularly.
I’d imagine Max would feel very much the same but it’ll all be down to DF of course.
Cheers
This is quite literally the worst thing I’ve possibly read. The EFL is possibly surprisingly to you more than one club. Preston have a game on Monday and have a couple of players on international duty.
Hi Carl
Thanks for the compliment – appreciated 🙂
At no point did I object to PNE’s perceived intransigence btw and I genuinely didn’t know you had a trip to Swansea on the Monday, so fair play to you on that one.
But in all fairness only Sky saved us from having to play on the Monday as well.
Thank you.
I have to echo the thoughts of Carl. MFW is better than articles like this – some of the stuff Samuel is producing is excellent.
This is a poorly thought out and poorly researched piece. It’s clear that the EFL cannot move the fixture without inconveniencing Preston and/or without wholesale fixture changes that may be objected to by other clubs. The EFL has to assess the situation in relation to all clubs. It is not unreasonable for the EFL to maintain the status quo where the clubs cannot agree to a fixture change between themselves.
The EFL produces a draft fixture list at the start of the season where it is my understanding that clubs can register objections. It would be interesting to know when NCFC first objected to this fixture. Doing so a matter of weeks before the game obviously provides far less room for manoeuvre. The other point is that NCFC have a big squad which is mostly fit so we aren’t forced to play all these players who are returning late.
It is very easy to just blame the ‘faceless suits’ at the EFL but if you are going to do that you need to write a considered piece that has taken into account all of the variables.
In reality the EFL should not have arranged matches for Good Friday afternoon when they knew that there would be competitive internationals on the Wednesday. The League call off matches in League 1 when there are international call ups so they could call this one off and play it later in the month
Hi Lee
While you are quite right that it would be interesting to know at what point NCFC first raised an objection to the timing of the PNE fixture, how would you suggest we found out? By asking the Club?
As for ill-thought out, maybe, but my point was clear enough to understand. As for poorly researched, maybe once more although I’d question how much [non-player] research was needed for this type of article in the first place.
I totally agree with you that Samuel’s tactical analyses are first class and I particularly enjoy reading them too btw.
Thank you.
The point here is not about Norwich or Preston and, of course, the club’s will look after their own interests. The point is that when the fixtures were set up last year the EFL should have known that clubs in the Championship would have players away on international duty. FIFA also bear some responsibility about playing three games over the international break with many countries playing on Wednesday yet others on Tuesday. Some of those international games are meaningless friendlies.
So if FIFA and the EFL had worked together all International games would been on the Tuesday. This would have allowed time for players to travel on Wednesday. Then it would have been appropriate to play on Good Friday and the Monday after Easter if possible. If FIFA had insisted the international fixtures had to be played on Wednesday then the EFL should not have scheduled any games for Good Friday. This is all about sensible planning between football authorities to protect as best they can player’s health.
My main concern is that FIFA are sanctioning players moving around the world whilst the Covid infection rates are rising in many countries. Despite testing there are still risks that variants can be brought into the UK through these players not having to quarantine. So they are not just risking player’s welfare but the whole population.
Whilst Norwich playing in the Championship has helped my mental wellbeing and I would guess other people too have benefitted, international fixtures have no bearing on me at all.
So football authorities co-ordinate fixtures and plan ahead and foresee that clubs might just supply players to international teams. Maybe those authorities should employ rocket scientists.
FIFA & UEFA sanction do calked friendlies to top up their coffers – that is the only reason they are played.
They now gave a technical director once of Arse-nal who wants to have World Cups every 2 years with the European 🇪🇺 Cup following tha same pattern when he was a club manager he screamed about international breaks and worried about players health and mental well being now he has changed to his new paymaster’s viewpoint.
I knew Arsene would get a mention at some point 🙂
Sorry
🙂
Hi Colin
Yes I agree with that – all of it.
I’m not too sure where the EFL stands in any relationship with FIFA and it would surprise me if the EFL knows either.
*So if FIFA and the EFL had worked together all International games would been on the Tuesday. This would have allowed time for players to travel on Wednesday. Then it would have been appropriate to play on Good Friday and the Monday after Easter if possible* nails it.
Great post – cheers
There is, of course, another principle that the football authorities talk about a lot, which is the integrity of their competitions. They have in the past sanctioned teams for putting out teams that are not their strongest as it may affect the result of the game. The result of that game can then have a knock on effect so that it effects the prospects of other teams in the league. This can have huge impacts in the Premier League were relegation can cost a club a fortune.
There are many cases that prove that teams playing in European competitions have worse results after those games than they do otherwise. It is to due to a tight playing schedule but also long distance travel is tiring too.
So the EFL pays lip service to the integrity of its competition and the football authorities do not care about the health and well being of the players that they rely upon. They are to concerned about money and their jobs and bloated salaries.
Absolutely.
For me it’s the hypocrisy of it all that really grinds my gears.
And of course it’s all about the filthy lucre – it has been since the 1970s and quite possibly even earlier.
Martin;
I think the whole farrago is best summed up by the fact that as the PNE fans correctly say, we do not have a game on Easter Monday….
Now, why could that be??? Because the EFL have moved us to the Tuesday evening….so we can be live on SKY TV (the same reason that Brentford are NOT playing on Good Friday).
But, the EFL have also agreed to move Brentford’s Monday game to the Tuesday to prevent “player burnout”.
No; as Mr Wogan used to say; “you couldn’t make it up”.
O T B C
Morning John
Farrago is the word, isn’t it?
I think that FIFA + EUFA + money is a deadly formula which, weakened down, extends to the PL and to a slightly lesser extent the EFL.
Money talks, mate.
Cheers
Stop fretting folks and think ahead to next season when it will be back to nothing but Saturday 3.00pm starts…
… except for Newcastle away on a mid-February Tuesday evening, down to Southampton for midday one Sunday, Burnley at Turf Moor on Saturday tea time and home to Spurs on a Monday night when they are given 4 days to recover from a Thursday game in a country ending in -stan.
Morning Keith
I’m not too sure about the Newcastle one – it might yet be replaced by a trip to the Cottage against our old nemesis, Fulham.
Otherwise you’re spot on. Wonder who we’ll get away on Boxing Day?
Cheers
I’m confused as to how international footy can take place given the escalation in Europe of Covid and travel restrictions, potentially in a few weeks time when players test positive questions about these games may be asked in high places.
The points you make Martin are valid, but to the EFL, English is a Foreign Language and money will always win their argument.
Tbh, I’m happy if DF rests our international players for the Preston game and shifts the weight of expectation on to their new manager, it wont bode well for him if we beat PNE with a much weakened X1, we’ve Huddersfield at home the following Tuesday and I would focus everything on that game.
No Musical Finale?
Hi Colin
*We’ve Huddersfield at home the following Tuesday and I would focus everything on that game*. Absolutely – it’s eminently winnable and would be a good strategy.
I didn’t touch on the Covid aspect because everybody has their own views about that but personally it does seem a bit daft to put people at unnecessary risk. I suppose the flippant but nonetheless pertinent answer to that one could be that somebody might catch it in Preston just as easily as in Slovenia.
Music clips are reserved for after match reports – Jeez knows what I might have come up with for this one!!!
Cheers
Colin; answer to your original question is easy…..M O N E Y.
I see this as an enormous opportunity. Let’s give the big names a break.
Hugill, Dowell, Martin, Mumba, Lungi, Marco, Christoph, Xavi, these are strong footballers that need situations like this.
Give them a chance. Who would bet against big Jordan not scoring at least one against his old club.
Hi Dan
I think that is the most likely solution although I’m not sure I’d field any more changes than I absolutely had to.
Hoping against hope that everyone returns fit, Preston will be the most interesting team selection for some time!
Thanks
Colin B is spot on. Surely the powers that be could have seen this coming and made it a normal Sat/Tue-Wed. It’s not as though fans are going to be able to attend.
Hi Ady
I think Good Friday/Easter Monday is a long-standing tradition but there’s no reason to continue it in the modern era. Boxing Day’s the same of course but I wouldn’t mind if they scrapped that too as we never seem to win on Dember 26!
Thanks
I can remember going to games on Xmas Day in the 60’s
Promotion season 1971/72 played Easter Saturday (Charlton -inc Jim Bone cracker) Easter Monday (QPR) and Easter Tuesday (Bristol City). Not certain when commenced Good Friday games possibly when Sunday fixtures were eventually allowed.
Grim Sundays growing up another debate!
Good Friday fixtures stopped some time in the 1970s. I think Norwich used to move them to Easter Tuesday (Palace 1973?) but they stopped when the League moved from 3 matches to 2 matches over Easter. The EFL did start playing Good Friday to give themselves a bit of exposure but when that coincided with the international break the whole Easter programme was cancelled for the Championship
Well said. You seem to have struck a nerve judging by the comments, mine included.
Sorry to say that I also agree that NOTHING will be done.
Hi John
Football politics are like mainstream politics – most of the time, nothing will be done!
Thanks
Finland manager Markku Kanerva said that clubs have not been interested to talk with national team managers about players they have selected. This is not one sided issue and because clubs are disinterest to any co-operation, so clubs and national teams are playing selected players as much they prefer.
I correct one thing about Teemu Pukki commenting Emi Buendia. In finnish language it means that its his personal wish to keep Buendia. Toivoa = hope, toiveeni = personal wish. I do know its difficult to translate finnish in some parts, all other was perfectly made. Mentioning Robin Lod does not surprise me, in my opinion his contract ends this year. He is very good player, international experience also from european cup games. Its very unusual that player points out some player in questions like that and question was any way kind of strange. Now that Rasmus Karjalainen is injured and not able to play at all (personally he should not have been selected anyway) thing is that striker options are limited. Pohjanpalo has had like always long term injury and is just trying to find his form and I doubt that he plays in friendly game. Mr Kanerva should be basically forced to select Berat Sadik to squad now and he seems very reluctant to do that. Local media will rightfully attack against him if he picks someone else, so it can mean that Pukki plays more than was planned. If Finland does not get at least 2 points of these 2 games, then qualification is already almost over.
Hi 1×2
That’s a really interesting piece of insight.
I know Marcus Forss has not been playing much for Brentford but he’s in the squad with the #9 on his back so surely he must be in with a shout of some game time?
Karjalainen will surely be replaced in the squad which will still leave Finland with four strikers, including Pukki of course. Maybe Pukki might yet be allowed to sit out the friendly? Everybody at Norwich is hoping so anyway!
I’m not sure that Daniel Farke would not be open to dialogue with Markku Kanerva over the workload placed on Pukki. Quite the opposite in fact.
Good luck to Finland against Bosnia-H tonight.
Kiitos
Thank You Martin. Forss has played regularly few minutes, would he be even ready to play whole game? Also we dont really know surely where is his level. These international games are very high level games, but surely he plays at least against Switzerland. I saw Norwich young striker Idah playing against Finland and honestly level was way too much for him. Even game against Switzerland is friendly, its not comparable to club friendlies because national teams rarely plays friendly games and they are vital chance for selected new players. Also there is media and football followers pressure to play with enough good lineup. Pukki has played regularly weekend-midweek-weekend rhythm so this does not change anything. Flights from Finland to Ukraine and from Ukraine to Switzerland can not be too tiring. Also situation what Norwich have in league is so perfect that Norwich really have to make mission impossible to not get promoted.
I guess that most of us in Norwich actively want Teemu Pukki to play for Finland in both qualifiers as we know how proud he is to play for his country and wish him [and your national team] well in the endeavours.
But Kanerva surely won’t find out anything new about him in a friendly against Switzerland – unless he wants to experiment with a new formation or something.
You’re quite right about Adam Idah but the Republic of Ireland have not been a good side for a few years now and he has time to improve.
Both clubs have arguments. each defending their own corners. I cannot say that the world does not revolve around Norwich, more like Watford and Brentford would fit into that boot.
This has been known since fixtures were spewed out, why was not a solution found earlier ? The FL cannot be arsed unless Sky waves another cheque in front of them.
Yes we do have more players away which does make our coach’s job a tad harder than two, cannot see who can disagree with that. Take 7 regular 1st teamers out of your line up and see the difficulty. without the need to insult. That is quite a list of potential injuries that could be totted up. The whole situation is darn right ****ing stupid as we draw to the real meaty end of the season,
I sincerely hope that neither club suffers injuries, I speak only now as a City supporter, not being big headed or superior, we should have enough in reserve to give them a good game and take the points on current form .
As for McAvory, never ever had the full reins , now 46 it is a great chance for him to make a name, but having worked with Neil a long time, he maybe just a clone . But hope that starts at Swansea
Hi Lad
Reactions might have been different from the Preston boys if our league positions were reversed but I was genuinely unaware that they had a trip to Swansea on Easter Monday so once more I have to say fair play to them.
*The whole situation is darn right ****ing stupid as we draw to the real meaty end of the season*. Yes that’s spot on.
As for McAvoy I remember several City fans questioning exactly what his role was during his time here, and I was among them. Something tells me he’ll stiff it out until the end of the season and then join up with Neil at his next workplace but that’s Preston’s concern, not ours!
Cheers
Good article as always, however let me just play Devil’s advocate a minute.
Whilst the situation isn’t ideal, it’s one we should be able to cope with. Krul plays on Tuesday night (if selected against the might of Gibraltar so shouldn’t get backache picking the ball out of his net anyway). The triumvirate of England U21’s play a tournament in Slovenia for their country, the final game of which is at 5pm Wed. Cantwell is unlikely to figure (looking at the midfielders on show) and there’s no cast-iron guarantee the others will play either. Finland have a meaningless friendly after two qualifiers so will Teemu really play in that? Who knows. Giannoulis has a flight back from Greece and it would be more of a problem for him to play on a Friday, but we have cover in Sorensen (and Quintilla). Hanley can get from Glasgow to Preston without much trouble surely.
We also have the deepest squad in the championship which is why we shouldn’t be kicking up too much of a fuss. We don’t need to create a mentality whereby we have a ready made excuse not to win. Besides if we are not playing again until the following Tuesday we should arguably have an extra day to prepare for that one.
Yes the EFL are self serving and driven (somewhat understandably) by tv demands. However I would argue that this time the problem lies with UEFA squeezing in 3 matches just before Easter which is always a hectic period in English football. I have often heard people historically saying how great back to back Christmas Day and Boxing Day matches were. I’m not old enough to remember those days but I bet any bedwetting about recovery times went unheard as it would have been sacrilege to do away with a long standing tradition.
So yes it’s an inconvenience for a handful of players travelling back a couple of hours on a flight from Europe on a Wednesday night if we play Friday. The players won’t be crammed on a budget airline though with tourists making their way home on the cheapest flight back after a final hurrah on sangria all day.
Hi Pete
That’s a very pragmatic view and I thank you for sharing it – a great reminder of how many of our players could be theoretically okay for the Preston game.
Particularly relevant is the fact that Grant & Kenny won’t have far to travel from Glasgow to Preston on Wednesday night. They could do that journey in a cab provided courtesy of the SFA 🙂
The trio of England under 21s could fly into Manchester from Slovenia [presumably].
So maybe it isn’t quite as dismal a scenario after all but I still believe the EFL are hypocrits.
Great post – thanks.
The difference with the old days and the Easter/Christmas programmes was that every team would be equally affected. We played Newcastle away one Easter Monday and had the return the next evening. Even moving to 7.45 would help
I honestly assumed it would be 7:45 It would have been if it had have been chosen for a TV late match anyway!
Best post on this article.
As I said to Colin M [above] I deliberately didn’t touch on the Covid issue as people think from so many different angles on it.
Personal experience tells me that the first jab is debilitating for around 36 hours but so what? I’m not over concerned about Covid myself but I genuinely understand why some folks might think differently. I agree with you that footballers don’t fall into any kind of vulnerable category whatsoever.
Good article, well written.
One big fact, that will never change…….in professional football money is the god.
Nothing else matters. The further you progress up the food chain you go the worse it gets. That will never be more true than our next season in the PL.
In any other sport they would have a handicap system. While the Man City and Chelsea have untold wealth, who will buy a player for £100m, and think nothing of it. Other like us, Burnley, Brighton, and so on will only be able to spend 30% of that on their whole transfer budget. In some ways not a great deal to look forward to.
Hi Ken
I think the reality of our being an unwelcome guest [yet again] at the PL top table will indeed bring us little joy.
But we will surely will have earned our right to take part in the feast as much as I reluctantly agree that it will probably bring little joy to us as supporters.
Thanks a lot
Your remark about the handicap system is interesting, Ken. In the States, I think either the baseball or American football leagues have a system whereby the team who come bottom get first pick of the available players before the start of the next season, second bottom get the next choice, and so on up the league positions. I can’t see that that would go down well with our prima donnas, and the wage structure would need some attention! Never going to happen in football, the almighty pound/dollar/euro rules.
HI Martin – a few raised tempratures here,so I’ll give you a mystic Kev forcast – I think at least five of the players on international duty will feature and we’ll beat McAvoy’s Team 3 -1. Have a rest mate 😊
Hi Kev
I think your prediction is a bit optimistic – a draw would do me – but I know better than to argue with the scrying glass of Mystic Kev!
Cheers
Brilliant Piece Martin.
I agree with every word, everyone has dissected the pro’s and con’s already and if i’m honest I can see the Preston’s supporters point of view. Their Monday game with us playing on Tuesday does muddy the waters. Can’t it just be re-arranged ?
I would like to talk about the issue of International Football.
Why oh why are players traveling all over the world for friendlies and World Cup Qualifiers ?
Friendlies ? are the football authorities mad ? It is now likely, and quite rightly anyone traveling abroad for a holiday from next week will be fined £5000 for doing so, how therefore can it be right that footballers are flying here there and everywhere ? What for ? A great Canary striker told me years ago friendlies are just that, glorified training sessions.
They could also bring back a new strain of the virus, we cannot let all this good work of the health service and scientists with the vaccine roll out go to waste. (Note to the Prime Minister, This time stand up to the aviation industry man !)
Now World Cup qualifiers. As FIFA accepted the £££££ the World Cup is 21 months away, so do we really need to start the qualifying stages now ?
Why not wait let the vaccine roll out, continue for a few months longer then start the qualifying games.
A name not mentioned on here much if at all is Mr John Barrowman who had a right go, understandably saying elite sport is favoured so much over the arts.
Now I do not agree with him, that going to the theatre is anywhere near comparable with an outside event, we only need to see the high spread of the virus which came from choirs and singing to realise that. But he has a point, Footballers could tackle, spit, hug, tussle etc when I couldn’t and still can’t hug and kiss my grandchildren.
And now they are swanning off all over the world in a pandemic, it makes me really angry especially with so many countries now going into a 3rd wave.
Also player burn out. We are 3 months away from The Euro’s lets get that done then move on to other international competitions.
And the way that is going it could be held here especially with Europe now heading in the wrong way with the virus.
Keep safe Martin OTBC
PS I think the boys will be well up for Preston after all this 😉
Hi Tim
That gets my nomination for MFW Post of the Month for March – don’t get too excited, there isn’t actually a prize.
*FIFA accepted the £££££* is the key.
On a strictly personal level I find your comment about John Barrowman most interesting and you’re right, I don’t think he’s ever cropped up on MFW before.
Equally, the general manager at the Theatre Royal, one Stephen Crocker, has made similar comments over the last year but although he might disagree with me on this, he has a significantly lower profile than Mr Barrowman so his comments don’t go beyond the EDP and don’t have quite the same clout.
What both these gentleman fail to understand is that football can be played without a live audience. It’s not the same for supporters on their laptops, tablets, radios or internet feeds but my God it’s significantly better than nothing.
That doesn’t translate to the theatre though, as you rightly suggest.
Elite sport v live theatre? Yes I understand the likes of Barrowman and Crocker fighting their corner but there’s no direct comparison in my mind. I’d love to see a favourite metal band at the UEA or Waterfront but I accept that’s not on just now any more than my going to Norwich v Huddersfield on Tuesday is.
I’m not presumptuous enough to suggest football fans don’t go to the theatre [I’m sure many do], but give me the choice between City at home and Les Mis well, it’s not a contest at all really 🙂
Thanks for a great comment.
The fact that the football league does not use common sense in this matter, just goes to show that money is more important than anything else. No wonder that more important things such as the health of our players, racism, keeping the game as a sport played on an even playing field, have been ignored just to make rich a very few idiots who want to drain every last pound out of supporters and give nothing back. It is time we challenge fifa, uefa the premier league and football league to bring common sense back to the governance of the game we all love, but they are intent on spoiling for all of us.
Hi Shane
*No wonder that more important things such as the health of our players, racism, keeping the game as a sport played on an even playing field, have been ignored just to make rich a very few idiots who want to drain every last pound out of supporters and give nothing back*.
Well said – thanks
This just shows there is no integrity left at the EFL. There is a distinct possibility that City will have wrapped up the title by the time Reading roll into the fine place and we decamp to wonderful Barnsley. We could then play the “kids” which will lead to others screaming bloody murder and the club getting a fine for playing a weakend team. Just like a hell of a lot over the past year, nothing in this makes sense.
Hi BB
I think the very few detractors on this article should read your comment, scratch their heads and then think again.
Great post.
PNE have players away as full internationals. One scored. Get your facts right before looking stupid.
The player who scored is suspended for three games following a red card last time out. Now that’s stupid.
Hi George
I did acknowledge that you might have internationals 😉
The article was a dig at the EFL, not PNE.
Thank you.