Holland coach Marco van Basten has criticised Fifa’s decision to adhere to its May 15 deadline for the naming of the 23-man World Cup squads.
“This decision flies in the face of the wish of 32 national coaches,” Van Basten told the Dutch Football Association’s official website on Friday.
“We thought it was in football’s best interest if the deadline was moved. I’m very disappointed the decision is negative.”
FIFA turned down a request for the coaches to be given more time to name their squads earlier this week.
“The course of action is intended to afford the players concerned adequate recovery time, although injured players may be replaced after this date following a specific procedure,” said world soccer’s governing body in a statement.
France coach Raymond Domenech was another to crticise Fifa’s intransigence.
“This deadline is quite a problem,” Domenech told Friday’s L’Equipe newspaper.
Domenech will now summon 30 players to the team’s training camp in Tignes.
“I’ll pick 30. There will be seven guys to drop afterwards but I like it better this way,” he said.
“It’s always tricky to call up a player who is already on holiday and ask him to replace one of his colleagues.”
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