How can WSL avoid another messy postponement?

The determination to postpone a Women's Super League lucifer betwixt Chelsea and Manchester United pinch conscionable a week’s announcement has near everyone progressive - clubs, fans and governing bodies - disappointment and astatine likelihood pinch each other.

Chelsea were group to big nan televised crippled connected Sunday, 6 October but it was postponed owed to nan Blues' engagement successful nan Women's Champions League.

The tie for nan group stages of nan European title took spot past Friday, pitting Chelsea against Real Madrid connected Tuesday, 8 October - 48 hours aft their planned lucifer pinch United.

Chelsea and nan caller institution which now runs nan WSL - nan Women's Professional Leagues Limited (WPLL) - had tried to seduce Uefa to reconsider their scheduling but were unsuccessful, starring to a messy business which has near each parties emotion aggrieved.

For nan first time, location are 3 English clubs competing successful nan Women’s Champions League group stages.

Uefa regulations authorities clubs from nan aforesaid nationalist personnel associations cannot look each different successful nan group stages, while among their cardinal principles is an assurance that they must play connected alternate evenings.

So erstwhile Uefa sent done their Champions League dates complete a twelvemonth ago, clubs and nan WPLL could person been alert of a imaginable rumor involving nan schedule if much than 1 English nine reached nan group stages.

The first matchday was a Tuesday, which followed a WSL weekend, erstwhile nan default time for a crippled is simply a Sunday.

Chelsea automatically qualified for nan group stages arsenic WSL winners, while Manchester City and Arsenal secured their spots aft successfully negotiating qualifying past week.

Chelsea and nan WPLL opportunity they had been successful regular discussions pinch Uefa, asking them to reconsider putting an English squad successful action connected Tuesday - particularly arsenic it was conscionable a rule and not an charismatic regularisation preventing it - but were unsuccessful successful their requests.

That perceived deficiency of elasticity by Uefa has caused frustration.

It meant nan WPLL had to rejig their schedule to thief Chelsea, who said their privilege was subordinate use and it was cruel to expect athletes to play 2 matches successful 3 days.

Moving nan WSL lucifer to Saturday, 5 October to springiness Chelsea an other time to retrieve earlier their European lucifer was retired of nan mobility for Manchester United, who didn't want to play 3 matches successful 7 days.

Chelsea could not switch their matchday successful nan Champions League pinch London rivals Arsenal because it would person caused akin issues for nan Gunners successful position of scheduling. Their WSL lucifer astatine Emirates Stadium connected Sunday would person been very tricky to move pinch nan men’s squad playing location nan time before.

Ultimately, nan deficiency of wiggle room plays into a bigger chat connected scheduling successful nan women's game.

Several high-profile players and managers person questioned awesome organisations, specified arsenic Fifa and Uefa, pinch world calendars expanding, European competitions expanding and subordinate use becoming a increasing concern.

The Champions League group-stage tie only took spot connected 27 September, meaning clubs and their trading teams person had small clip to capitalise connected summons sales, pinch conscionable complete a week’s notice.

Chelsea, for example, look Real Madrid successful their first group crippled – arguably nan biggest necktie of their group for some clubs – and they person 10 days to beforehand summons income for nan Stamford Bridge tie.

Sky Sports person had programming and TV picks affected pinch nan postponement of nan Chelsea v Manchester United lucifer owed to beryllium broadcast unrecorded connected their channels.

That leads to a wide nonaccomplishment of money for nan broadcasters, arsenic good arsenic clubs, who will person put successful spot information measures and logistical plans to compensate nan flagship fixture.

But nan biggest losers are fans, who person paid for accommodation, recreation and summons costs to be nan WSL fixture and are now having to declare backmost for expenses, pinch not each of it guaranteed.

The top interest from each of this is nan use of players.

If calendars and fixture scheduling continues to beryllium congested, akin issues will support arising and players will beryllium asked to push their bodies to nan limit.

In nan men's game, respective players including Manchester City midfielder Rodri, person said it could lead to players going connected onslaught successful bid for awesome organisations to return notice.

Chelsea Women's Supporters Club and Chelsea Pride told BBC Sport successful a connection they judge nan "right choice" was made to protect players but person called for "accountability and measures to forestall this from happening again".

Uefa person been asked to reconsider their stance connected clubs from nan aforesaid nations each having to play connected different evenings, while nan WPLL - now afloat successful power of nan WSL aft a handover play pinch nan Football Association - will apt beryllium much alert of nan almanac adjacent season.

One of nan WPLL's considerations could beryllium scrapping nan Women's League Cup, a title which adds to nan fixture congestion and is mostly not supported by WSL clubs.

It has been a speech that has existed for respective seasons and had League Cup matches not been scheduled astir nan aforesaid clip arsenic this postponement - Manchester United play Liverpool connected 2 October - past location whitethorn person been scope for much flexibility.

But to debar this happening again successful nan early immoderate of nan parties involved, who each person competing priorities, will person to make concessions, aliases other it will beryllium nan players and fans who proceed to suffer out.