Buck aims blast at Fifa

Buck calls on Fifa to resolve international calendar

Last updated: 31st December 2007

Avram Grant Bruce Buck Chelsea press conference

Buck: Unhappy with Fifa

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Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck has hit out at Fifa for their handling of the international calendar as they prepare to lose four players to the African Cup of Nations.

The Blues are set to see Didier Drogba, Michael Essien John Obi Mikel and Salomon Kalou miss a number of games in January as they go away on international duty.

Buck admitted it was a blow to lose the quartet and has called on Fifa to deal with the "craziness" of the international calendar in the future.

Unfortunate

"We will lose several players to the African Nations Cup," said Buck. "This is unfortunate because it is a very difficult time of the season and we will need all of our players to help.

"We do recognise, however, that a player's greatest honour is to play for his country and we have to respect that.

"We can only hope that Fifa will stop some of this craziness in the years ahead and adjust the calendar so that club football is not continually interrupted and disrupted for international events when a better thought-out calendar could solve these anomalies."