Another Sheffield Wednesday player gets international call-up - one match in danger of being postponed
SWFC news...
Another Sheffield Wednesday player has been called-up for their country for the next international break.
For the first time, starting this season, the September and October international breaks have been merged into one 16-day period, from September 21 to October 6. Countries will play four matches rather than the standard two. The changes were unanimously approved by the FIFA Council in 2023, with ‘player welfare’ stated as a big factor in the decision, reducing the number of separate periods in which players fly across continents.
Although international breaks don’t automatically impact League One, games can be postponed if a club has three or more players called-up. One of The Owls’ upcoming fixtures during this period has already been chalked off, with the trip to Stevenage to be rearranged because Boro have met this requirement.
Wednesday could have another game, their home clash against Cambridge United on October 3, also postponed because of call-ups. Kieran Morrison is in the Northern Ireland squad for their Nation League fixtures and it has not been confirmed that Sean Fusire has made Zimbabwe’s final squad for AFCON qualifiers.
It means that The Owls only need one more player to get the call from their country for the Cambridge match to be in doubt. With call-ups for Yan Valery, Ali Al-Hamadi, Jamal Lowe, Harry Gray and Will Grainer all possible, it looks like Wednesday are heading for a three-week period without a league match, although two EFL Trophy ties against Salford City and Sunderland could still go ahead.
Henrik Pedersen said: “If there is a break, then we will use the break for a little rest, and then we will use the break for a very tough week where we have to improve in the physical level, in all areas, and then we'll have a third week for preparation for the Huddersfield game. So it will be a combination of rest, then a tough week where we have to make the next level, and then a preparation week, and then they'll of course be a lot of individual conversation.”