Bristol City chairman calls for review of rules over internationals
Bristol City chairman Steve Lansdown believes FIFA must look at the rules regarding international call-ups as his side could be without striker Stern John for next Saturday's clash with Preston.
John will play for Trinidad and Tobago against the USA in a World Cup qualifier in Nashville on Thursday. That will leave him just two days to return to Bristol for a match City need to win to stay in the play-off chase. City are aggrieved that the nations concerned have been unable to schedule their games to fit in with club commitments.
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Stern John
John, who is on loan from Southampton for the rest of the season, is also in action today against Honduras.
The 32-year-old will have to overcome two games in six days and jet-lag to play any part against Preston.
Lansdown said: "The situation just highlights the problems you have when you have players who play for other nations.
"You have a fortnight to play these games and you would have thought the games could be played earlier. It's not going to give him (John) much time to get back but hopefully he can still play a part as a substitute for us."
Bristol City's game does not kick-off until 5.20pm because it is being televised by Sky so John will have a little extra time to recover. But Lansdown still feels world football's governing body should do more to fit the games into a more desirable time frame.
"I think they should look at it," he said. "It is not right but we know the situation when we take the players and I would like to think we have the squad to cope."
John is one of five Bristol City players to receive international call-ups in the last week. Youngster Aaron Holloway played for Wales Under-17s in Turkey on Thursday while goalkeeper Stephen Henderson started on the bench for Ireland Under-21s against Spain last night.
Defender James Wilson featured for Wales Under-21s in Luxembourg yesterday and Jamie McAllister is set to play for Scotland against Holland today.
McAllister, Henderson and Wilson could all play again on Wednesday evening against Finland, Turkey and Luxembourg respectively, although those games all take place within Britain or Ireland.
4 Comments
by Dave, London
Sunday, March 29 2009, 12:17PM
“Far more concerned we might lose frankie Artus than the waste of money and place that Stern John has been. I wish that Frankie had been given a chance in our first team he looked something special in the youth team. Perhaps he is just unlucky enough to play in the same position as LJ what do others think.”
by Paul, Whitchurch
Saturday, March 28 2009, 6:23PM
“Who cares if John makes it back in time to warm the bench against Preston. He has done nothing for us since signing on loan. If he was any good Southampton would have recalled him in their fight against relegation - he's not even good enough for that! This unsavoury mess should have been addressed in January. Instead it has been left to drift and I suspect this fiasco will eventually cost us a play-off place.”
by Mike Gale, Rhodes,Greece
Saturday, March 28 2009, 1:06PM
“Come on Mr.Lansdown he probably would not play anyway only sit on the bench.His loan signing was an expensive mistake anyway.”
by maninthemoon, cheddar
Saturday, March 28 2009, 11:31AM
“Look he's got no energy when he not abroad let's not kid ourselves.Maybe he'll detour to the Moon with Mike /Redman”