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FIFA to consider changing international date arrangements
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-09-13 13:56 FIFA is to
re-examine arrangements for playing international double-headers to help ease
the strain on players, clubs and their coaches.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter said world soccer's governing body will
consider a suggestion from Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger among others, that
international double-headers should be played on Wednesdays and Saturdays
instead of the other way around.
"This is a very intelligent proposal from Mr Wenger and we will examine
it next month," Blatter told a media briefing on Sunday, adding that a number of
other calendar issues would be discussed at a Strategic Committee meeting early
next month.
FIFA introduced their international co-ordinated calendar two years ago
in a bid to streamline the dates for competitive internationals and friendlies
and while the idea has generally worked well, there is still a huge burden on
players appearing for both their clubs and countries a few days apart.
If the switch was adopted and the first of the double-headers was
played on Wednesday rather than Saturday, players would have a full week to
recover before their next club match.
Blatter was critical of the England players who refused to speak to the
media after being lambasted last week when they drew 2-2 with Austria in Vienna
after leading 2-0 with just 19 minutes to go.
Blatter said: "International footballers are recognisable public
personalities with an obligation to communicate with the media and the public
and accept from time to time that they are going to be criticised.
"This is a world of total communication now and to lose communication
is wrong, and to instigate a media blackout was wrong."
Blatter is meeting England coach Sven Goran Eriksson while in London on
Monday and says he intends to tell him personally he thinks the England players
should have spoken to the press last week.
Blatter also said the decision by English referee Steve Bennett to hand
Everton's Tim Cahill a second yellow card for pulling his shirt over his face
after scoring against Manchester City on Saturday was also wrong -- but that the
rules on what constitutes the removal of a shirt also need to be looked at.
He said: "A referee should never expel a player just because he pulled
his shirt over his head, he should just have a word with him.
"If you take off your shirt and wave it over your head that's a
different matter -- then you are saying you are ready to go back to the changing
rooms."
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