While players from the Premier League and the Championship frequently leave for international duty carefree, it’s typically a different story for players below the second tier.
Only four League One games will take place this weekend, with the great majority being postponed as a result of international calls-ups. On Saturday afternoon, Ollie Norburn will be one of the few players hitting the field.
The 30-year-old Blackpool captain, who is related to Grenada through his paternal grandparents, declined to play for Jamaica in an international matchup to captain the Tangerines at Bloomfield Road against Stevenage, who are now in fourth position.
And he feels that international breaks often put players below Championship level in an awkward position. When he’s asked by Mirror Football if the EFL should consider extending the international break to clubs in Leagues One and Two, Norburn replies: “It’s a funny one, especially with only four games going ahead. I think it puts a lot of players in difficult positions.
“From a biased situation, I could have gone and played international football this weekend, but I put my club first. When it became clear our game wasn’t going to be off, I made the decision to stay here.
“I’ve always made it clear to Grenada that I want to represent them whenever I can, but playing for Blackpool will always come first. It’s my bread and butter and I’ve made it clear I won’t miss games here.
“In situations like that it’s difficult because going away with your international team could have a negative effect; you could lose your place in the team after missing a game when you actually come back.
“I think it should become a mandatory thing that all games don’t go ahead given the small numbers, but that’s down to someone else to make those decisions.”
Domestically, Norburn is eager to get Blackpool airborne between now and May. Neither he nor the Seasiders harboured aspirations of playing League One football this term. Blackpool dropped out of the Championship last year, while Norburn’s former club, Peterborough, failed in their bid to make an instant return to the second tier.
But while neither necessarily wanted to find themselves at this level, both wanted Norburn at Bloomfield Road. Neil Critchley was a big factor in said move: the Blackpool chief previously showed interest in the midfielder during his first stint at the club.
Critchley made the decision to depart the club just months after signing a four-year contract extension to join Steven Gerrard’s coaching staff at Aston Villa. Following Gerrard’s sacking, Critchley had a brief stint as head coach of Queens Park Rangers. He was relived of his duties after just three months as a result of winning only one game.
A return to Blackpool following their relegation is one of those rare moves which feels shrewd for both parties. And for Norburn, working with Critchley – who blends his meticulous approach with old-school man-management skills – has been worth the wait.
He adds of Critchley: “He’s been brilliant. He’s very detailed. He likes working on the grass and he’s very honest, which I like. He’s black and white. I just hope we can have some kind of success to go with it because he leaves no stone unturned tactically in terms of setting up a team.
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