Whelan slams international schedule

12 August 2009 10:16
Wigan owner Dave Whelan has hit out at the scheduling of international fixtures in the week building up to the new domestic season. The Latics open their Barclays Premier League campaign with a trip to Aston Villa on Saturday but currently have a number of players away with their countries. Whelan told Sky Sports News: "It's absolute madness, we've got players flying all around the world. The Premier League, the biggest league in the world, and we've got players thousands of miles away playing and we don't know whether they are going to come back fit." He added: "The Premier League should get some bottle, stand up to the FA and say, 'In certain weeks we are not releasing any players.' "That is one thing I am going to bring up at the next meeting."

Source: Eurosport