Whites chief bemoans internationals

Gary Megson has hit out at the timing of this week's international friendlies as he sweats on the fitness of eight Bolton players.

The Whites chief cannot understand why it was decided to hold the games in the first week of the new Premier League season when he was hoping for time to prepare his squad for Saturday's tough trip to Newcastle.

Instead he will have to wait for the likes of Gretar Steinsson, Jussi Jaaskelainen, Joey O'Brien, Ricardo Vaz Te, Blerim Dzemaili, Ali Al-Habsi and Tamir Cohen to return from playing on Wednesday and hope none of them pick up any injuries, while Fabrice Muamba won his eighth Under-21 cap as a substitute in England's 2-1 win against Slovenia at Hull City on Tuesday.

Megson said in the Bolton News: "It just seems a bit ridiculous to me. Players are off from May 11 to August 16 but now we've got these international games three days after the start of the new season.

"I just hope the players will come back without any problems."