Like seven other British based players selected for international duty by Trinidad & Tobago, the pair will have to face Nigaragua on Saturday and Panama next Wednesday.
Pair Could Miss Southend Game
Like seven other British based players selected for international duty by Trinidad & Tobago, the pair will have to face Nigaragua on Saturday and Panama next Wednesday.
Micky Adams is less than happy saying to the CT: "I was hoping that our lads would just play in the first game but that is not the case. "I have spoken to the Trinidad manager and he has insisted that they play in both games. "Whether that is the case or not I don't know what will happen. He is entitled to play them.
"Both games are in Trinidad so we will have to wait and see, but I have to assume that they will be there next Wednesday and there is nothing the players can do, although Dwight Yorke has said he is going to come home.
"I did ask the manager whether it was one rule for one and another rule for others but he was insistent that they will play in both games and the players have to go along with that.
"If they say they want to come back, Trinidad can enforce a FIFA ruling that states that they can't play for us for five days. "So it is not an easy situation and we might have to make contingency plans for both players not being here to face Southend.
"It makes it worse because our game is on Friday night rather than the Saturday and I tried to explain that to the manager, so it is far from ideal."
Mel Brannigan said: "Coventry City initially requested that both players be excused from the two friendlies when the call-up papers were received as the games were of a non-competitive nature.
"This was rejected and so Coventry, aware that for friendly matches the players only have to be released 48 hours before the date, offered to release the players on October 2 so that they could return to the club on October 8.
"If they say they want to come back, Trinidad can enforce a FIFA ruling that states that they can't play for us for five days. "So it is not an easy situation and we might have to make contingency plans for both players not being here to face Southend.
"It makes it worse because our game is on Friday night rather than the Saturday and I tried to explain that to the manager, so it is far from ideal."
Mel Brannigan said: "Coventry City initially requested that both players be excused from the two friendlies when the call-up papers were received as the games were of a non-competitive nature.
"This was rejected and so Coventry, aware that for friendly matches the players only have to be released 48 hours before the date, offered to release the players on October 2 so that they could return to the club on October 8.
"This meant that Stern and Chris would be available to Trinidad & Tobago for longer than the 48-hour rule and that Coventry City would have the players available and refreshed for its game on Friday 13 October. "The club is still to receive any response from the Trinidad & Tobago Football Federation with regard to this request and has now enlisted the help of the FA to resolve the situation. The TTFF brought the matter to FIFA's attention and so FIFA are also being kept within the correspondence loop by both Coventry City and the FA.
"Coventry City is aware that there are a number of British clubs who are currently contesting the necessity for their respective players to be involved in both matches and that in one particular instance, Sunderland AFC has been able to agree the release of Dwight Yorke after the first game. "In good faith, and prior to receiving any response from TTFF, Coventry City released both players on October 2."