Source: Daily_Mail
England friendly before Premier League start is insane, blasts Martin O'Neill
Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill has hit out at the timing of an international friendly just 72 hours before the start of the new Barclays Premier League campaign.[LNB]O'Neill could lose up five potential England players - James Milner, Stephen Warnock, Ashley Young, Gabriel Agbonlahor and Stewart Downing - for next Wednesday's friendly with Hungary.[LNB]But in addition Richard Dunne, Stiliyan Petrov, Brad Guzan and John Carew are likely to be called up by the Republic Of Ireland, Bulgaria, United States and Norway respectively.[LNB] Bonkers: Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill has blasted the decision to allow an international week just days before the start of the new season[LNB]O'Neill, whose side face West Ham at Villa Park on August 14, said: 'It is a problem to have an international match the week before the season starts.[LNB]'I think that international football has been well and truly accommodated by the Premier League and all leagues around Europe in terms of games (next Wednesday).[LNB]'Then, in early September, there are two internationals in quick succession and the players are away for almost two weeks and it eats into the season. [LNB] Call up: Stephen Warnock should make the squad to face Hungary but Villa team-mate Emile Heskey has retired from international duty[LNB]'From that viewpoint, it is a bit of a nuisance.'[LNB]Bolton boss Owen Coyle has branded the timing of the forthcoming round of international fixtures as 'nonsense'.[LNB]Spurs boss Harry Redknapp has already questioned the scheduling of the matches and Coyle, whose Wanderers team get their campaign under way at home to Fulham, is also worried about the impact international week will have on his preparations.[LNB]'I think Harry probably summed it up for all of us last week when he said what he did,' Coyle said.[LNB] Speaking out: Bolton boss Coyle and Spurs manager Redknapp also disapprove[LNB]'He's right - it's a nonsense. You are working for five weeks in a pre-season to prepare your team for a difficult season ahead in the Premier League, and all of a sudden, in the most important week of build-up, you don't have your players.[LNB]'We have to give balance to it by saying that there is no better honour than representing your country and totally understanding that. [LNB]'But these are not qualifiers, these are friendly matches, and I'm pretty sure within the calendar there is another date they could have found for these games.[LNB]'All of a sudden as a manager you are worrying about three-quarters of your squad picking up injuries, travelling halfway across the world, and then looking to have them fresh for the opening game of the season.[LNB]'I think we are all agreed that, for us, it is ridiculous.'[LNB] Sign up to our FREE Fantasy Football game - with £40,000 in prize money up for grabsFA defends 'joke' England friendly after Redknapp blastVilla boss O'Neill insists he didn't force Heskey to stop playing for EnglandCuellar and Young give O'Neill injury headache after mauling by BenficaASTON VILLA FC
