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“A ‘Joke’ Decision” – Birmingham City Boss Chris Davies Slams League One Move, Rivals Agree!
Chris Davies isn’t the only League One manager who thinks international breaks should be par for the course in the third tier – Exeter City boss Gary Caldwell is of the same opinion.
Birmingham City have enjoyed breaks during all three international windows this season and won’t play again until they meet Shrewsbury Town on November 23. As a result of international call-ups, Blues’ games against Exeter, Cambridge and Stevenage have been rearranged.
Some have asked why Davies doesn’t plough forward without his international contingent to avoid a fixture pile up, but the Blues boss isn’t willing to go into a League One encounter without some of his big guns. He also values the opportunity to refresh and gives his charges some time away from the training ground during the breaks.
Exeter won’t be able to relax in the next two weeks, instead they will play Lincoln City on Saturday without two of their key players. Josh Magennis and Ilmari Niskanen have been called-up by Northern Ireland and Finland respectively but the Grecians require three international call-ups to postpone the game.
“It’s a joke that the league still goes on,” Exeter manager Caldwell fumed after their victory over Charlton on Saturday. “If we call games off for three, why not two, or not [play] at all?
“League One is full of international players and most teams get games called off but it kind of devalues the league a bit when we have to play a game without our two best players. It is something we have to look at.
“But we have no problem playing the game, we believe in everyone in the squad, and have to come in and step up to the mark. We will miss Josh and Immy but a chance for others to show what they are worth.
It devalues the competition. Lincoln will face us at less strength than they should. Three players, who decides it? Why not two players, one player, no player?
“Some teams have played 15, some 13 games, the league is so disjointed as most teams have breaks, and some have played those games .”
