SUNDERLAND are embroiled in a club-versus-country row which looks certain to end in two of their most influential players being unavailable for this Saturday's visit of West Ham.
The Trinidad & Tobago Football Federation confirmed that they have contacted FIFA with the intention of invoking the five-day rule following the withdrawals of Kenwyne Jones and Carlos Edwards.
Both had been included in the Trinidad squad for the friendly with Caribbean rivals Jamaica, but were pulled out by Roy Keane.
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Sunderland, aware of the situation, have since been in touch with the federation in the hope a quick solution to the problem can be found.
The FIFA ruling bars players from playing or training for the five days following the fixture they were called up for, meaning that if found guilty both Edwards and Jones could not play the Hammers.
Edwards' situation has angered Trinidad the most, give how the right-midfielder withdrew with a groin problem suffered at Aston Villa on Saturday.
They claim to have initially asked for an MRI scan of the injury, only to be told by Sunderland that it is unlikely something would show up.
Jones, on the other hand, did miss Saturday's trip to Villa Park with a virus and the T&TFF are more understanding of that situation.
However, they still feel harshly done by and they are keen to ensure such a situation does not crop up in the future and want FIFA to enforce the strict rule.
"It is right that the decision
from the management team has
been taken to take this action,"
said the federation's press officer,
Shaun Fuentes, speaking from
Kingston.
"It was taken after it appeared
that Sunderland were unwilling
to co-operate and we were left
with little choice. The reaction to
this has been that Sunderland
are now making efforts to co-operate
and we are waiting for a
scan for Carlos.
"Why they couldn't just do that
in the first place I don't know.
Kenwyne's situation is different,
there are no scans."
Both Jones and Edwards are
also key members of the
Trinidad squad and it is for that
reason the T&TFF know that
reaching an agreement would
suit both parties.
However, given how it is too
late for either player to play in
Kingston today, a suitable scan
for Edwards would appear to be
the only way to reach a compromise.
Fuentes said: "Sunderland are
in touch with the management
and the issue could be resolved.
But that is not going to be an easy
thing to do. It is possible.
"Both our federation and Sunderland
have to look at the long
road. Both sides will want to ensure
that there remains a relationship,
so it is possible that
something can be done in the
next few days to solve the problem.
"But Francisco Maturana
Trinidad coach is understandably
not very happy with having
two important players unavailable
for such an important
friendly against Jamaica, one of
our neighbours. Hopefully there
can be a resolution but it is an
issue we feel strongly about."
There has been no comment
from Sunderland.
Keane, meanwhile, is looking
for Sunderland to build on the
form which brought three points
at Villa against West Ham, with
Edwards and Jones key to his
plans.
Goalkeeper Craig Gordon is another
integral to the Sunderland
way, but the £9m man's own international
appearance this
week has not encountered the
same problem.
Gordon met up with Scotland
manager George Burley this
week, ahead of the first friendly
under the new boss at home to
England's conquerors Croatia
tonight.
The Sunderland No 1 worked
under Burley at the start of the
2005-06 season, when Hearts
opened with eight straight victories
in the Scottish Premier
League - only for Burley to leave
following a dispute with the
club's Lithuanian owner.
Gordon is relishing the chance
to work under him again. "We
met up with him as a squad last
month and we discussed how we
can move forward ahead of the
next campaign," said Gordon.
"I knew George and I pretty
much knew what his training
would be like. At Hearts there are
a lot of things that have gone on,
but he did do a great job.
"He was going to take the club
forward and we still managed to
get that second Champions
League spot but fans will always
wonder what might have been.
"He has always done well
wherever he has been with little
money. But he has always managed
to get the best out of his
players. That's a good trait to
have for an international manager."
Posted by: Barrie, Brasil on 11:57pm Wed 26 Mar 08
These situations are always difficult but you have got to ask the question, if it had been 2 English players (or 2 Irish) would the response frome the club have been the same?
No...I agree
These situations are always difficult but you have got to ask the question, if it had been 2 English players (or 2 Irish) would the response frome the club have been the same?
No...I agree
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