Fixture congestion

[Skatzoffc]

Can someone explain to me why we are the only team playing 2 games in 48 hours this weekend!

We have to play Sheff Utd on Sunday afternoon, then Swansea on Tuesday night, (in a game me must, imo, get something out of).
All other teams playing on Sunday are scheduled to play on Wednesday.

Is this because the Fulham powers that be are too lazy, or too lame to complain and force a reschedule of the dates?

Swansea are floundering badly at the moment and this is a very important game for both teams.
No doubt we will capitulate, as we have in most games of this nature this season, and give them a much needed win.

:dft007:

[Craven Mad]

We may have realised Swansea are floundering and want to play them ASAP, before they have a chance to regroup/get in new signings.. We can't move the Cup game as it's a TV match.

Does seem less than ideal though..

[JackyFulham90]

The priority has to be the Swansea game I'm sure the likes of Parker, Riether, Sidwell & Berbatov will be rested against Sheffield Utd with Swansea in mind. We have a good enough squad to give Sheffield Utd a good game then get a result at Swansea

[Twig]

Can someone explain to me why we are the only team playing 2 games in 48 hours this weekend!

We have to play Sheff Utd on Sunday afternoon, then Swansea on Tuesday night, (in a game me must, imo, get something out of).
All other teams playing on Sunday are scheduled to play on Wednesday.

Is this because the Fulham powers that be are too lazy, or too lame to complain and force a reschedule of the dates?

Swansea are floundering badly at the moment and this is a very important game for both teams.
No doubt we will capitulate, as we have in most games of this nature this season, and give them a much needed win.

:dft007:

Come on give our club a little credit.  Of course they will ahve realised the problem but TV requirements and intransigence on part of the authorities leave us in tis ridiculous position.  Play a total reserve team and put a finger up to the cup is my suggestion.  We must focus on prem points at any price.

[leonffc]

We took the TV money, which I am sure we were intitled to turn down. Why should the league rearrange a fixture for us?

[bulgariawhite]

Come on we are Fulham we don't have a voice. Top six do. Lets just get on with it.

[filham]

We have a squad of about 34 players, the best 16 must be saved for the Swansea match while the remainder should be used for the Sheffield match.
Look Sheffield united are struggling near the bottom of league one, our 2nd choice players should manage a win there.

It would be crazy to subject players to the long haul up to Sheffield and back and then expect them to travel to Swansea and perform at there best.

[Skatzoffc]

We took the TV money, which I am sure we were intitled to turn down. Why should the league rearrange a fixture for us?

Do u work for the FA Leon?
8-)
I'm sure Chelski and stoke took the money but their team has refused to play on Tuesday.

Terribly fulhamish.

[JackyFulham90]

We could easily field 2 decent teams

Sheffield United

                         Stockdale
Zverotic Hughes Amorebieta Riise
                 Karagounis Boateng
Duff                       Dempsey         Taarabt
                                Bent

Swansea

                         Stekelenburg
Riether Hangeland Burn Richardson
                       Sidwell Parker
Dejagah                  Kasami          Kacaniklic
                                  Berbatov

Not saying that will be the teams but with our senior players we can easily name 2 decent sides, hopefully some youngsters get another chance in the cup match

[leonffc]

We took the TV money, which I am sure we were intitled to turn down. Why should the league rearrange a fixture for us?

Do u work for the FA Leon?
8-)
I'm sure Chelski and stoke took the money but their team has refused to play on Tuesday.

Terribly fulhamish.

HAHA no chance!!

Things may have changed but I know in recent years when a manager has faced similar problems I've heard them say that the club had agreed to the revenue so they had to get on with it.
I'm sure that the swansea fixture was schelduled for the Tuesday before the FA cup draw was made

[timmyg]

We took the TV money, which I am sure we were intitled to turn down. Why should the league rearrange a fixture for us?

Do u work for the FA Leon?
8-)
I'm sure Chelski and stoke took the money but their team has refused to play on Tuesday.

Terribly fulhamish.

HAHA no chance!!

Things may have changed but I know in recent years when a manager has faced similar problems I've heard them say that the club had agreed to the revenue so they had to get on with it.
I'm sure that the swansea fixture was schelduled for the Tuesday before the FA cup draw was made

The FA Cup draw was made ~3 weeks ago. The EPL schedule has been out since July 2013.

The FA looks at the slate of games for each Round and determines which game gets televised; which determines who plays when. Sheffield United won their 3rd round game outright, and thus moved their League game from Tuesday to Wednesday. Both Fulham and Norwich likewise had league games scheduled for the following Tuesday, but they had to replay their 3rd round game. So there was no wiggle room for either to move the dates; especially for us who have to travel.

It's really, really annoying but just how the cookie crumbled.

[Logicalman]

Come on we are Fulham we don't have a voice. Top six do. Lets just get on with it.

Well, we DO have a voice, it's just nobody at the PL or FA gives a monkeys what we say.

[leonffc]

We took the TV money, which I am sure we were intitled to turn down. Why should the league rearrange a fixture for us?

Do u work for the FA Leon?
8-)
I'm sure Chelski and stoke took the money but their team has refused to play on Tuesday.

Terribly fulhamish.

HAHA no chance!!

Things may have changed but I know in recent years when a manager has faced similar problems I've heard them say that the club had agreed to the revenue so they had to get on with it.
I'm sure that the swansea fixture was schelduled for the Tuesday before the FA cup draw was made

The FA Cup draw was made ~3 weeks ago. The EPL schedule has been out since July 2013.

The FA looks at the slate of games for each Round and determines which game gets televised; which determines who plays when. Sheffield United won their 3rd round game outright, and thus moved their League game from Tuesday to Wednesday. Both Fulham and Norwich likewise had league games scheduled for the following Tuesday, but they had to replay their 3rd round game. So there was no wiggle room for either to move the dates; especially for us who have to travel.

It's really, really annoying but just how the cookie crumbled.

The original decision has nothing to do with the FA who is on tv. Television companies decide who they want to show and then talk to the FA and the police.

EDIT: I think.

[Skatzoffc]

Thanks for the clarification guys.
I just thought maybe if we asked the FA they could've moved it to wed when most others were playing.

A very important game could hang in the balance tho (imo).

8-(

COYW!

[westcliff white]

Rene said yesterday i believe Swansea didnt want the game moved form a Tuesday to a Wednesday.

Re turning down the money I believe the TV companies pick and that is it, fairly sure you cant say no, when you sign with the devils then these things happen. They obviously think there is a chance of an upset, and reading between the lines (which can be dangerous) from Rene's press interview yesterday he will rest a fair few of the first teamers, so it is possible there could be an upset, especially if we play as we did against Hull.

[The Equalizer]

Man Utd used to get fixture congestion all the time and you never saw them moaning about it.

Oh wait..

[fulhamben]

actually i can remember arsenal and man u both having games one day apart. the second game think it was a sunday after both playing on the saturday was a legue cup match. both teams agreed to play there kids in it so it was allowed to be played 24 hours after league game

[leonffc]

actually i can remember arsenal and man u both having games one day apart. the second game think it was a sunday after both playing on the saturday was a legue cup match. both teams agreed to play there kids in it so it was allowed to be played 24 hours after league game

Its a shame UTD couldnt think of doing that vs some lower league team instead of pulling out of the FA cup and making a mockery of it just to play in S.America for the weekend

[hovewhite]

I'm hoping to see the youngsters play the likes of dembele ,plumain, tankovich I'm looking forwardto Sunday.

[Neil D]

Re. TV money: as the saying goes - when you sup with the devil be sure to have a long spoon...