Boss Paul Lambert says he would have weighed-up whether to postpone next week’s home game with Charlton if the Blues had had three international calls but with the decision taken out of his hands with the Addicks calling it off yesterday after they received the required three calls.
Asked whether he was disappointed to see the match, which Town might well have gone into having won their opening four league games, called off, he said: "Yes, but you have to respect that Charlton have three guys with their national teams. It’s not a great issue, it’s the way it is that situation, no problem for me.”
Lambert postponed games last season each time the Blues had three calls, although usually with more than that and most of them central midfielders.
Currently only third-choice keeper Adam Przybek has been named in the Wales U21s, although more are anticipated. Would he have called the Charlton game off had the Blues had three calls? "That would have depended on how many injuries we had and how many guys were struggling. You’ve got to look at it, without a doubt, you have to.
"I respect Charlton’s decision, we did it last year, I respect what their guys have done and they’ve got three guys away, some with Wales, one with Northern Ireland. I don’t have a problem.”
He added: "If it affects the team and it affects us strength-wise, then you do it.”
The Charlton match will now be played on Tuesday 22nd December (KO 7.45pm) unless both sides are knocked out of the FA Cup in the first round, in which case it will take place on Saturday 28th November (KO 3pm), or the two clubs both exit the EFL Trophy at the group phase, allowing the fixture to be staged on Tuesday 8th December (KO 7.45pm).