Manchester City News 24/7Writer: Tudor 
Date:Friday October 17 2008
Time: 12:03PM
UK time is: 14:02:27
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Alphieblues writes...
The old nutmeg has reared its head once again as it has been announced that Martin Petrov will be out for some considerable time due to an injury picked up whilst playing for Bulgaria this week.
Having been out for most of the season with an injury, and only recently made two substitute appearances, one for ten and the other for only 20 minutes, should Petrov have been allowed to go off on international duty whilst obviously not fully match fit?
Would this have happened at club level - I think not.
Can you imagine old 'Red Nose' allowing this to happen to one of his players?
With our paper-thin squad, I think Mark Hughes has made a big mistake in allowing this to happen and he should NOT have sanctioned his international call-up at this stage of his recuperation.
Your thoughts on this would be appreciated.
Article written by alphieblues.
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Your Comments
Should read played a full 90 minutes on Saturday before turning out again four days later on Wednesday before being taken off injured. That means he played twice as much in four days than he has for us in the season so far.
alphieblues
there's nothing at all we can do about it now......MH maybe should have said no........but what if the player wants to play for his country ?.......unless there is something in a contract to give a manager the right to stop them playing for a valid reason.....then this is something we are going to have to learn to live with......at least until we have a much bigger squad anyway....
lincolnblue
This was for the WC qualifiers was it not? Its a risk club takes when they sign an international player...I think players should be allowed to participate in those games.. lots of players take pride in representing their country, lots of cases, top players are needed to make a difference in their native team. Friendlies are a different matter though.
ArabianKnight
what this shows though is how thin the squad is... and the need for depth in January and summer 09.
ArabianKnight
We have to allow players to play for their country, because it is their right to do so. There is not a lot we can do about it, and it's part and parcel of football. It does add weight to the argument thought that we need a bigger squad, as a few have touched on already.
oliverblue
Losing Petrov is an absolute hammer blow at a crucial stage of our season. In similar circumstances, Taggart for one would not have released him to the Bulgarians.
Johnny Baguette
alphieblues is 100% right about this. It was a mistake to put a player under such international pressure before he has played 90 minutes for his club. When it comes to Club V Country, I am totally for the Club -- if it's Man City!! But there's another dimension here and it has to do with Martin himself. He can become a Blues legend if he keeps with it, but my mind goes back to interviews he has given. He is very patriotic. Yes. His favourite all time player/ hero is Stoichkov. He is very much into his roots. The most important influence on his football career is, by his own words -- his father. Loyalty runs through his veins as much as blood does. To tell him not to go on international duty is to ask him to go against his nature. It should not have come to this. The fitness regime has to be fully understood. If you are not fully fit you do not play -- for anyone. But clearly he was recruited by Sven on a different basis. We fans cannot blams Hughes for that.
Sindbad
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