As the NFL grows in England, the stewards of a much more established sport believe American football is encroaching on their turf. Or pitch. Or whatever.
In response to this past weekend’s game between the Jacksonville Jaguars and Dallas Cowboys at Wembley Stadium, the manager of England’s national team has complained about the proximity of the game to a qualifier for the Euro 2016 tournament. The English team plays Slovenia six days later.
“I don’t really think you could expect me to say ‘excellent, delighted, well done,’” Roy Hodgson said, via BBC.com. “If I was asked if it was a good thing or not, I would have to say not. . . .”
“It is a decision Wembley has made and I know the ground staff will work very, very hard to give us the best pitch they can give us,” Hodgson said. “Hopefully in the future the pitch will recover to its normal level and when it has done that we will be better able to support this type of activity.”
Next year, the Dolphins host the Jets on October 4, five days before England hosts Estonia in another Euro 2016 qualifier. So look for Hodgson to complain, again.
Source: England’s manager complains about NFL schedule at Wembley