Charlton Athletic boss Nathan Jones on fixture schedule 'lacking logic', 'rounding off' Charlie Kelman's game and knee injury sickener for striking prospect Micah Mbick
Addicks manager went to watch Wednesday's opponents Middlesbrough dish out a 4-0 thumping to QPR
Nathan Jones has criticised the quick turnaround facing his Charlton Athletic side for their next two Championship fixtures.
The Addicks head to second-placed Middlesbrough on Wednesday evening before another match on the road on Saturday against Oxford United. The latter has been moved forward to a 12.30pm kick-off and will be televised on Sky Sports+.
Charlton will have precious little time for rest and recovery.
Goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski (hamstring) is the closest injured player to a return to the first-team squad with Collins Sichenje, Matty Godden, Reece Burke and Josh Edwards sidelined.
Nathan Jones celebrates the 1-0 win over Birmingham City on Saturday/Picture: Paul Edwards
Charlton are nine points clear of the relegation zone with 10 matches remaining.
Jones admitted that the south-east London club can express their disappointment at the scheduling but added: “It won’t change the fixtures. You would think someone would look and say: ‘We want to bring a game forward, because it is such a big one. Okay, but they are at Middlesbrough on a Wednesday night’. For some teams they can fly up and down on the day. That isn’t the case for us.
“It’s just a big demand. The Championship is a big demand anyway for players. There is just no thought process behind it.
“Middlesbrough have played later for TV, they had to play Sunday. Look, we might get a bit of an advantage going into Wednesday but a real severe hindrance going into Saturday. That is what they need to look at because it has happened quite a lot - it really, really has.
