Cardiff City say they are ‘disappointed’ as fans fume at the EFL statement regarding the abandoned Rotherham United fixture.
The English Football League announced on Thursday evening that the Championship match will be rescheduled in its entirety.
The Bluebirds were leading 1-0 at half time in the match earlier in the month before officials were forced to stop the game due to heavy rain and with flooding in certain parts of the pitch.
Cardiff was dissatisfied by Rotherham’s handling of the incident and lack of effort and reportedly created a dossier with evidence to send to EFL chiefs.
According to reports, the league bosses received the documents and will give Rotherham an equal chance to speak out on the postponement.
Pitch well watered…….Sprinklers and Rain at half time here at Rotherham.
HT: Rotherham 0-1 Cardiff #soccersaturday pic.twitter.com/ztPxtCiQOk— Neil Mellor (@NeilMellor33) March 18, 2023
EFL STATEMENT
Following the abandonment of the Sky Bet Championship fixture between Rotherham United and Cardiff City on Saturday 18 March due to a waterlogged pitch, it has been determined that the fixture will now be rescheduled in full.
In respect of this particular fixture, the matter was referred to the EFL Board under EFL Regulations at the request of the Clubs involved.
The EFL Board reviewed submissions from both Clubs, giving consideration to factors including the time of the abandonment (48th minute) and the subsequent time remaining in the contest, alongside the differing circumstances at play had the fixture been restarted from that point on a rearranged date.
In considering matters such as these, the League seeks to adopt consistency with previous occurrences where fixtures have been abandoned for weather-related reasons and could not be restarted.
A new date for the game will be announced by the Clubs in due course.
Just a few hours after this announcement, Cardiff boss Sabri Lamouchi said he’s ‘surprised’ the EFL are yet to come to a decision.
His team were 1-0 up when the game was abandoned because of a waterlogged pitch. They had to wait nearly two weeks to find out what would happen next due to concerns about a fixture pile-up in the coming weeks.
However, EFL chiefs met Wednesday to discuss a variety of issues including events at New York Stadium.
He spoke out for the first-time about the incident, saying as per WalesOnline: “For many reasons. We don’t know what the answer is, even though it’s been close to two weeks. We don’t know the date we will play this game. We don’t know if we will have to play this game again. I believe the EFL will come back to us. It is important that both players and managers know this information.”
According to Cardiff, Rotherham showed a lack of effort in getting the game restarted. There was also a plan to have the game replayed at 1-0 from 48 minutes.
Although the EFL would unlikely agree to such arrangements, sources within the league haven’t categorically dismissed it as possible.
“We can ask for what we want,” Lamouchi continued. “I can ask for three points. We can ask to play from 48 minutes but it’s what the EFL decides.
“We don’t know. We can defend our situation because it was clear and evident. Unfortunately we don’t try to play. We don’t take the right decision.
“It’s really important for both managers and players to know the final decision. The EFL issue they will decide about that case. It was a surprise for me. Because I play many times in the worst situations. In this day, the referee decided to stop the game and we didn’t try even one time to restart the game. But now we need to know. As you know this game is really, really important for both clubs.
Questioned on if the Bluebirds boss was worried about a pile-up, he replied: “We don’t have a lot of choice. Probably the last two weeks are the only times we can play. So possibly between Stoke and Huddersfield or between Huddersfield and Burnley. I don’t’ see other possibilities.
“What can we do? We just have to accept and wait for the EFL’s decision.
“It’s a strange situation. I can’t complain about my players because they start well and they play well. They deserved more goals in the first half. We were winning the game and fate is fate. All of the fans, players, club, staff, manager.
“We are all awaiting the EFL’s decision.”
CARDIFF STATEMENT:
We are extremely disappointed that this fixture will now be re-scheduled and replayed in its entirety, a decision which disregards the first half of the original fixture, which was unaffected by any weather conditions.
Despite submitting a detailed incident report to the EFL, which contained photo and video content that documented the events that took place at the AESSEAL New York Stadium on March 18th, we are aggrieved that the points we have raised have been dismissed.
We are particularly frustrated that our staff, players and supporters who travelled to South Yorkshire must now make the long journey once again, during a time of heightened personal costs and fixture congestion.
We would like to thank our loyal supporters for travelling in their numbers to the AESSEAL New York Stadium, and look forward to seeing them at the re-arranged fixture which will now be played on Tuesday, April 25th (7.45pm kick-off).
Further ticketing information on this will follow in due course. In acknowledgment of the additional travel expectations put upon supporters, Tan Sri Vincent Tan has taken the decision to cover the journey cost for those who attended the original fixture and are again travelling with official and club recognised travel providers.
SEE MORE: Cardiff demand answers and propose plan while Rotherham defend themselves over abandonment
As mentioned, Cardiff are ‘disappointed’ as fans fume at the EFL statement regarding the abandoned Rotherham fixture…
@just_a_bluebird: Presumably we’ll be refunded then ? If the match is null & void surely we get our money back ?
@IOATES7: Why has it taken two weeks to decide it’s the rules if the game hasn’t reached 75 minutes it has to be replayed 😂 don’t get how Cardiff fans think they have a leg to stand on.
@mikeytccfc: Bottled it as expected.
@Blubirdology: Disgrace, due to no effort being made by their ground staff, Cardiff we’re denied an opportunity to take 3 points and you reward them with a complete restart
@ChrisJG1988: It’s taken you 2 weeks to come to a decision that everyone knew the outcome as soon as the game was called off, if I was Cardiff, I wouldn’t give you the satisfaction of playing, and just give Rotherham the 3 points
@NathCcfc: Give us our money back
@gempopmoo: It’s the EFL why is everyone surprised
@wildeyboy97: EFL JOKE
@TheLeckwithMole: Disgraceful.
@jacwillisccfc: Yeah don’t worry about the fact we were 1-0 up in a 45 minute half where there was no issue with the weather we’ll just forget that happened and start again at 0-0 , efl and Rotherham are bottlejobs
@JackowilliamsX: Bunch of bottle jobs ahahahhahaha
@Mr_Peteroy: Haha you absolute jokers. Shame on you, why not restart?
@CCFCMando: You are absolutely fucking useless, fair play. Worst organisation in all of football.
@MattDevine27: There’s no way they’ve got away with this ahaha
@ThreeBluebirds_: Bunch of cheats, the lot of them.
@Jimdj1987: Translation we are ignoring the evidence because we don’t care. Don’t expect not to be called a joke when you make decisions like this.
@ManLikeReid: Dangerous precedent being set her. Any team losing can just let there be a torrential downpour of rain for 25 minutes to get another chance to win. Disgraceful #rufc
@TomWales: Expected nothing less from the EFL. Spineless. They’ve genuinely never given us a favourable decision in situations like this. They hate Cardiff. 😂
@CallumJ_1927: Been done right over. Load of bollocks
@ccfcview: Terrible call once again… did they take into consideration that the groundsman swept the water back onto the pitch? How about the fact that they had the sprinklers on when it was raining? Shambles 🤣
@LinternBenjamin: Full replay what a joke ahahaha
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