DI MATTEO SURPRISED BY JAPAN DECISION Posted on: Sun 11 Nov 2012 Chelsea's second potential opponents in the semi-final of the FIFA Club World Cup were decided this weekend and Roberto Di Matteo has also been speaking about the tournament, revealing a declined request to postpone of one of the club's domestic fixtures. Ulsan Hyundai from South Korea won the Asian Champions League on Saturday and will now play Mexican side Monterrey in the quarter-finals of the Club World Cup, the match to take place on 9 December in Toyota, Japan. The winner will then face Di Matteo's side four days later in Yokohama. With Chelsea scheduled to play Sunderland on Saturday 8 December, the acclimatisation period will be short following the journey to the Far East and although Monterrey have more reason to be concerned about time zone differences than Ulsan Hyundai, either side will be more adjusted than the Blues by the time of the semi-final. Consequently discussions with the Premier League have been on-going on whether our match at the Stadium of Light can be moved to allow an earlier journey to Japan, but Chelsea learnt of the decision last week. 'We are very happy to go to Japan and we have tried to postpone the Sunderland game to give us the best chance but the Premier League didn't agree to it,' Di Matteo confirms. 'That certainly could put strain on the players because we are only going to arrive three days before our first game in Japan. We would have liked to go a few days earlier so the players are adjusted to the new time zone. Travelling there with a nine-hour time difference, you want to do everything in your power to be ready for those games. It is a big injury risk as well. 'You would think the Premier League would have every interest in making sure they give you the best chance of being successful in Japan, which would reflect very well on English football and the Premier League so I am very surprised about it, I can't get my head round it. 'The fixture list is obviously very full but where there is a will there is a way. You see all the other confederations trying to help their teams to do well in Europe. We talked about this last season as well.' Di Matteo is referring to the request back in April to give the Blues an earlier kick-off time for our FA Cup semi-final against Spurs on the Sunday before we met Barcelona. That was not granted. Looking ahead to the Club World Cup, our manager makes it clear how seriously he is taking the tournament. 'Maybe in England it is not regarded as so but you speak to the South Americans, the Asians and everybody that is involved and it is a massive competition. Winning that trophy means the world. 'It is a trophy we don't have in our cabinet and we desperately want to bring it to Stamford Bridge
And? Its not like the FA want you to compete to help boost a world cup bid yet forcing you to pull out of the FA cup. Suck it up, its your own fault you have a paper thin squad.
Thinking obviously isn't your strong point. Neither is being funny, if I were you I would stop pretending to be either. Going by your name (and childlike attempts to be funny) im going to assume you're either a stupid stroppy teenager with delusions of grandeur, or a sad middle aged woman who's only company is cats.
I have to say this particular trophy is not one I'd scream from the rooftops for if we won or lose any sleep over if we didn't! The whole business of the location imbalance says it all. We should give this trophy two fingers and concentrate on more important issues at home!
You can assume what you like but you have absolutely no idea . Oh to be a stroppy teenager again , or even middle aged come to that . So nope none of the above. I am also a great thinker, in fact too much so, and I never pretend to be anything I'm not, My name is personal and there is a reason for it not just something I plucked out of thin air. If I could be arsed I'd explain but I can't. I also can't stand cats in fact I'm in the process of purchasing a super soaker to eliminate the little ****ty one that keeps attacking the squirrels as birds in my garden. If your name doesn't refer to your mouth it must refer to your head then.
The trouble with the premier league is that they have sold their soul to sky and other tv companies. About 5 years ago when Martin Jol was our manager we played a UEFA Cup QF in Seville Spain on a Thursday night. The match finished at 10.15pm our time yet they made us play away at chelsea on the Saturday at 12.30pm ... there was just 38 hrs between the matches in which time we had to fly back from Spain. The only reason they refused to change it was because the Chelsea spurs match was live on TV...maybe that's why they wont cancel your match
Probably. Time and time again, foreign football authorities help their clubs in europe etc but ours wont. Spanish teams sometimes play friday nights before big european games etc. We had to play an FA cup semi last year on a sunday before playing Barca midweek. Ultimately it led to us having to play a weakened side against Arsenal the following week which could have in theory cost Newcastle or Sours a C.L place. Rangers had it similarly bad a few years back when they were in the Europa League and made the final.
