Gary Caldwell slams 'joke' League One games during International breaks

Gary Caldwell has laid into the ‘joke’ decision for League One games to still be going ahead during International breaks. The Grecians had seen fixtures at home to Birmingham City and Mansfield Town called-off during the September and October pauses – but the clash at St James Park with Lincoln City on Saturday will go ahead.

Josh Magennis and Ilmari Niskanen have been called-up by Northern Ireland and Finland respectively for City. The Imps meanwhile look set to have a full complement of players with Sean Roughan not in the Ireland U21 squad, Bailey Cadamateri not with England’s U19s, while Northern Ireland U21s have no game.

With neither side having the requisite three players called-up, the game will go ahead as planned. But while the exeter-city-fc>Exeter City manager is happy to play the game, he slammed the rules and said that it leaves the league being devalued.

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“It’s a joke that the league still goes on,” Caldwell said. “If we call games off for three, why not two, or not at all. League One is full of international players and most teams get games called off but it kind of devalues the league a bit when we have to play a game without our two best players.

“It is something we have to look at. But we have no problem playing the game, we believe in everyone in the squad, and have to come in and step up to the mark. We will miss Josh and Immy but a chance for others to show what they are worth.”

He added: “It devalues the competition. Lincoln will face us at less strength than they should. Three players, who decides it? Why not two players, one player, no player?

“Some teams have played 15, some 13 games, the league is so disjointed as most teams have breaks, and some have played those games.

“We should be playing at the same time and it should be right across the league. If the Championship can do it, so can League One. We have Kammy (Kamari Doyle) Jake (Jake Richards), Joe Whitworth on standby, so we are close, but what does it do to the competition?

“Lincoln will not face what Charlton did today and to me that’s a joke. It’s either on or off in my opinion. We want to play the game, we can win without them, but the league needs to look at it, but we will be ready for the game.”