Everton boss Sam Allardyce annoyed by Premier League schedule

Sport360 staff 00:48 30/01/2018
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  • Everton manager Sam Allardyce is annoyed the Premier League have scheduled his team to play as the final hours of the transfer window tick down.

    The Toffees host Leicester in a 7.45pm kick-off on Wednesday, just over three hours before the deadline, and Allardyce believes than can be a hindrance not only to his match preparations but for his future plans for the squad.

    “My focus is not on the transfer window because unfortunately yet again the Premier League have decided to play a game right on the transfer window deadline,” he said.

    “We had to suffer this last season. Clearly at the AGM they didn’t think it was worthy of not doing it this time around.

    “I give you an example: I pick a team today and tomorrow splashed in the paper is one of those players is going to be sold before the window shuts – how is that player going to approach that game?

    “Is that right? It certainly isn’t but we have to cope with it.

    “Last season Crystal Palace were in exactly the same position and in actual fact I got one very important player (Luka Milivojevic) just before the deadline after we played Bournemouth but it was horrendous, not just for me but the chairman and the chief executive.

    “I don’t know why we play these fixtures at this particular time.

    “I’ll probably be here (Everton’s training ground) in the morning until mid-afternoon and then I will put it all to bed and get out of it and get myself ready to meet the players and the game.

    “You can do it at home if you wanted to but it is probably better to be at the club to make decisions which may come in as I need the opinion of the coaching staff as to whether we are prepared to let this player go or there is one to bring in.”

    Allardyce is keen to reduce his bloated squad by offloading a number of players but as yet no satisfactory offers have come in.

    However, he is prepared to allow things to run their course and will not necessarily push them out the door on deadline day if the offers are not right.

    “We’ve had a number of enquiries which are not suitable for us to allow the player to leave – nearly all of them on loan, none I believe are permanent – so we haven’t accepted any deal yet,” he added.

    Ademola Lookman celebrates scoring a goal.

    Ademola Lookman celebrates scoring a goal.

    “Until such time as the board tells me it is financially acceptable and I say to them whether it is the best interests of the club and player to go.

    “We have got a lot of players so moving some out on loan would be a possibility.”

    One player who is definitely leaving is forward Ademola Lookman.

    The 20-year-old has made 20 appearances this season but only six of those have been in the Premier League with only one start.

    “He wouldn’t be available on loan because Aaron Lennon went a few days ago (to Burnley) and we got a very good deal financially as he was running out of contract this year so that was acceptable for us,” said Allardyce.

    “That means anyone else to go out on loan in that position is a no-no.”

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