Gary Caldwell demands EFL rule change after latest round of League One postponements

Exeter City volition beryllium 1 of the fewer League One teams really competing this weekend, and manager Gary Caldwell feels the clip has travel for the third-tier to beryllium included successful the planetary break

Exeter City manager Gary Caldwell has called connected the EFL to present planetary breaks successful League One - arsenic the changeless question of postponements "devalues" the competition.

The bulk of fixtures this play person been called disconnected owed to subordinate call-ups with conscionable 5 going ahead. It's a recurring issue: lone 2 games survived the planetary interruption past month, portion 3 matches were played during the archetypal interruption of the play successful aboriginal September.

That has led to a script wherever immoderate teams person played 2 - soon to beryllium 3 - much games than others successful the array - thing Caldwell feels is unfair.

Exeter met the required threshold of 3 call-ups for a postponement with Josh Magennis, Ilmari Niskanen and Kamari Doyle each being selected for the existent circular of fixtures. However, Doyle's call-up to the England Elite League Squad (Under-20s) aft primitively being named connected the stand-by database occurred aft the EFL's deadline connected Monday.

Caldwell believes the information club's successful the third-tier bash not get an planetary interruption careless is "a joke" - and helium wants that to alteration successful bid to support the integrity of the division. "I deliberation it devalues the league a small spot erstwhile you look astatine the array and immoderate teams person played 2 and 3 games more," helium tells Mirror Football.

"We really had the 3 planetary players [required for a postponement] but the past of them didn't get picked until Monday, and that's past the EFL's deadline.

"Look, we've got a fantastic squad and we judge we tin triumph Saturday's game, but I conscionable deliberation the rules request to alteration present that League One has go a league that is afloat of planetary players.

"I deliberation determination were 2 games [that went ahead] during the past break, perchance three. For me, it's thing the league has to look astatine to marque it fairer connected each fronts. Everybody should beryllium successful the aforesaid boat."

Exeter caput into Saturday's lucifer 3 points and six places down Lincoln successful the array having played 13 games - 1 little than Michael Skubala's side, who inhabit 5th spot.

A fistful of different teams successful the league person already played 15 times and Stockport County and Crawley Town volition beryllium connected 16 by the adjacent of play connected Saturday.

Caldwell, who explains that the Grecians regularly person astatine slightest 2 players called up for planetary work during breaks, besides stresses that rescheduling postponed games becomes a subordinate payment issue.

In the EFL, teams play 8 much league fixtures than teams successful the Premier League arsenic good arsenic home cupful competitions. As good arsenic entering the FA Cup astatine the archetypal circular - 2 rounds earlier than those successful the tiers supra - League One and Two teams besides enactment successful the EFL Trophy, wherever adjacent those who autumn astatine the archetypal hurdle play 3 games successful the archetypal radical stage.

Caldwell adds: "From a readying constituent of view, erstwhile that crippled gets changed precocious it past gives america adjacent much problems successful presumption of grooming loads and mentation for the pursuing week.

"Listen, it's a 46-game play and we cognize that's coming, truthful you person to beryllium resilient. But we don't cognize erstwhile [the games are coming]. Adjusting the calendar [at abbreviated notice] makes it truly challenging from a subordinate payment constituent of view."

His counterpart connected Saturday, Skubala, expressed akin sentiments successful his pre-match property league up of the weekend.

Skubala said: "I deliberation [a break] is thing the league has got to look at, if I’m honest. I deliberation they person to marque definite that, arsenic we person and privation much planetary players successful the league, which I deliberation is starting to happen. Whether that beryllium under-21s, whether it’s under-20s, whether it’s elder player, it does disrupt things.

"No 1 wants planetary breaks, particularly erstwhile you’re winning games, and you’re successful the flow. That’s the past happening you want. But, successful the aforesaid sense, we request to marque definite the contention is fair."

With further postponements successful the 4th and last planetary interruption of the run successful March beauteous overmuch a foregone decision astatine this point, the statement is lone apt to rumble on.

And that would, successful each likelihood, surely marque a alteration inevitable.

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