Düsseldorf (DPA) – In the Bundesliga, there has been growing criticism of the World Federation’s extended period of notice to national players. “This should not happen again. This should be interpreted as a warning to FIFA. I don’t think we will have it again. And neither will the English and Italians,” said Bayer Leverkusen’s managing director Rudy Voller. “Kicker” (Thursday).
Leverkusen will have to do without Chile’s Charles Aranguez, Argentina’s Execuel Palacios and Ecuadorian Piero Hincapie in their Bundesliga match against Borussia Dortmund on 11 September. All three professionals play for their countries in World Cup qualifying on the night of 10 September.
This has already angered Bayer coach Gerardo Zion: “It is a novelty in world football that players are no longer available. It is annoying and inconvenient – for us and for the players as well.” The Swiss expressed understanding for holding the Games as seen in March, but noted the employment relationship: “It is simply about the fact that the players we employ are not on an important working day.”
Voller sees it this way: “Basically, I understand associations, but it’s just a bad solution.” He advocated a move: “The easiest solution would be to play the hardest hit clubs on Sunday.”
Dortmunders also see reason to complain. Since last strong American international Giovanni Reyna is not expected to return from his international tour until 10 September with three matches against El Salvador, Canada and Honduras and will be handicapped by the time change, he should hardly be part of the starting eleven. BVB sporting director Michael Zork complained, “This is once again an unequal treatment of the interests of clubs and associations – at the expense of the clubs. This is the norm for Live and for us.”
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210902-99-64473/2
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