International call-ups will penalise Watford ahead of televised Crystal Palace clash

4:00pm Friday 1st February 2013 in Sport By Frank Smith and Tom Allnutt

Picture: Holly Cant Picture: Holly Cant

Watford will be “penalised” next week because their success has led to several international call-ups – with a number of the players set to feature for their country less than 48 hours before the Hornets face Crystal Palace next Friday (February 8) night.

Matej Vydra, Daniel Pudil and Joel Ekstrand could all line-up for their relevant countries on Wednesday night and Nyron Nosworthy is in contention to play for Jamaica in the early hours of Thursday morning GMT.

Watford’s home game with Crystal Palace next Friday was brought forward due to it being televised on Sky Sports and, including travel time, these players will find it extremely difficult to regain 100 per cent fitness before the Championship match.

Zola said: “Those players won’t be ruled out of the match but obviously it will be an inconvenience because in some ways we will be penalised because we have quite a few players who are going to play for their national teams.

“It is frustrating but that is the way it is, we cannot complain, we have to just make the most of it. I certainly cannot say that I am 100 per cent happy about it but I can’t do anything – complaining doesn’t help anything so we will make the most of it.”

Ekstrand, pictured, could line up against the likes of Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero as Sweden take on Argentina in a friendly in Stockholm next Wednesday.

Vydra and Pudil are also in line to play after the duo were called up to play for the Czech Republic against Turkey on the same night, while Nosworthy joins the Jamaica squad for a friendly against Mexico.

Nathaniel Chalobah is included in England’s Under-21 squad for next Tuesday’s friendly against Sweden.

Sean Murray and Connor Smith have both been selected for the Republic of Ireland’s Under-21 squad, who take on Holland, while Cristian Battocchio has been called up for Italy Under-20s, who face Germany.

Tommie Hoban has been named in the Republic of Ireland U19s squad to play two friendlies against the Czech Republic, despite the player only returning to individual training this week.

The Irish will face the Czechs in Longford next Tuesday and again in Athlone two days later as they prepare for the UEFA Championships elite qualifying round in June.

Comments(18)

AngelHornet says...
4:14pm Fri 1 Feb 13

Very harsh on us, considering the amount of friendlies.
Will be an interesting line up against Palace

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Richard - Come On You Golden Boys! says...
4:24pm Fri 1 Feb 13

Given the importance of the fixture on Friday evening, it would certainly be reasonable for us to make a request to the respective associations that our players do not play more than 45 mins in these games.

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AMP4WATFORD4EVER says...
4:25pm Fri 1 Feb 13

A massive game that NEEDS to be won.... come what may.

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aefevans says...
4:48pm Fri 1 Feb 13

So let's say all players named in the article are not available (except Chalobah who is playing on Tuesday and the game is in England), the squad might look something like this:

Almunia
Doyley
Hall
Chalobah
Cassetti
Forsyth
Abdi
Yeates
Hogg
Deeney
Forestieri

Bond
Neuton
Mujangi Bia
Eustace
Anya
Geijo
Possible appearance by Mensah on the bench?

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Wimbledonhorn says...
5:04pm Fri 1 Feb 13

Probably part the reason why these players were 'rested' against Bristol City so they have some chance of featuring against Palace despite playing 2 nights before..

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mattymashup says...
5:11pm Fri 1 Feb 13

Do a fergie and have said players all get "injured" beforehand!

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lockerbiehornet says...
5:23pm Fri 1 Feb 13

I don't think it'll hamper as all (bar Jamaica) these games are in Europe and so the players can be back in Watford for Thursday morning, rested and ready for Friday. I bet all of them start bar Nos

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Roger "Studs" Joslyn says...
7:08pm Fri 1 Feb 13

aefevans wrote:
So let's say all players named in the article are not available (except Chalobah who is playing on Tuesday and the game is in England), the squad might look something like this:

Almunia
Doyley
Hall
Chalobah
Cassetti
Forsyth
Abdi
Yeates
Hogg
Deeney
Forestieri

Bond
Neuton
Mujangi Bia
Eustace
Anya
Geijo
Possible appearance by Mensah on the bench?
I would play Neuton Hall and Doyley as a back 3 and leave out Yeates but otherwise agree with you.

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Paul Gadd says...
9:49pm Fri 1 Feb 13

Wimbledonhorn wrote:
Probably part the reason why these players were 'rested' against Bristol City so they have some chance of featuring against Palace despite playing 2 nights before..
well said......our squad players should have shown enough to beat the bottom of the table team....and GFZ needs to trim the squad, so what better way than testing 'who's up for it' on a cold rainy evening in a God forsaken place miles from Herts?

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The BestTrip2011 says...
6:11am Sat 2 Feb 13

Paul Gadd wrote:
Wimbledonhorn wrote:
Probably part the reason why these players were 'rested' against Bristol City so they have some chance of featuring against Palace despite playing 2 nights before..
well said......our squad players should have shown enough to beat the bottom of the table team....and GFZ needs to trim the squad, so what better way than testing 'who's up for it' on a cold rainy evening in a God forsaken place miles from Herts?
More a case of who's up " to" it rather than " for" it.
I don't think anyone could criticise the intent of any of those who played last Tuesday, however in terms of ability it wasn't difficult to see who was found wanting.

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Hampshire hornet says...
7:34am Sat 2 Feb 13

Erm... Isn't that Pudil in the picture? Do I win a prize WO

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davidjohnbarnard says...
8:31am Sat 2 Feb 13

mattymashup says...
5:11pm Fri 1 Feb 13
Do a fergie and have said players all get "injured" beforehand!


Totally agree - time for GFZ to be street wise and have a few timely injuries which suddenly clear up on Friday morning. You see it from other managers all the time before meaningless games

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jasonwatford says...
9:12am Sat 2 Feb 13

Can anyone tell me how the feck sean murray has been called up ?? Times like this when his country should also be saying to him you have nor been good enough young man pull your finger out to get baack in the squad

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gloryhornet4 says...
9:41pm Sat 2 Feb 13

Hampshire hornet wrote:
Erm... Isn't that Pudil in the picture? Do I win a prize WO
I thought so as well. Next they will be mistaking Forestieri for Ray Wilkins.

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Mohandas says...
10:13am Mon 4 Feb 13

Overcoming obstacles has always been the key to success and this success always carries a price. We can do it if we stay collectively focussed on this amazing roller coaster journey

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davesol says...
11:04am Mon 4 Feb 13

If we want to be a good team with good players then we need to accept this just the same as every other club that has international players. Ultimately it reflects well on how much we've achieved this season

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lutondown says...
12:43pm Mon 4 Feb 13

davesol wrote:
If we want to be a good team with good players then we need to accept this just the same as every other club that has international players. Ultimately it reflects well on how much we've achieved this season
Agree, anyway most will be subs and should be ok for Friday. Forresteri and Deeney is not a bad partnership.

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PeteBogHorrorHornet says...
10:52am Wed 6 Feb 13

Roger "Studs" Joslyn wrote:
aefevans wrote:
So let's say all players named in the article are not available (except Chalobah who is playing on Tuesday and the game is in England), the squad might look something like this:

Almunia
Doyley
Hall
Chalobah
Cassetti
Forsyth
Abdi
Yeates
Hogg
Deeney
Forestieri

Bond
Neuton
Mujangi Bia
Eustace
Anya
Geijo
Possible appearance by Mensah on the bench?
I would play Neuton Hall and Doyley as a back 3 and leave out Yeates but otherwise agree with you.
My contact in Czechoslovakia tells me Pudil is not in the squad do he will still be OK for Friday

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