Ian Evatt understands why Portsmouth counterpart Danny Cowley wanted the clash against Bolton Wanderers to go ahead due to the players the Whites would have been missing.
The game at Fratton Park last weekend was postponed due to call-ups in the Wanderers camp for the international break. The clash is yet to be rearranged.
Pompey have started the season very well indeed and are the only unbeaten side left in League One. Cowley's side sit third at present with a game in hand and just a point from the top of the division.
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Wanderers had several players called up for their countries recently. Dion Charles and Conor Bradley were on duty with Northern Ireland, James Trafford played for England under-21s, Owen Beck represented Wales under-21s and Amadou Bakayoko linked up with Sierra Leone.
It is likely to now be a Tuesday evening clash when it is eventually rescheduled and be played later on this season. The game being called off was anticipated owing to the international stars within the Bolton squad.
Pompey had international call-ups too. These included Joe Morell for the senior Wales set-up and Harry Jewitt-White for the country's youth side, with Alfie Bridgman on Malta under-19 duty and duo Josh Griffiths and Dane Scarlett for England under-21s and under-20s respectively.
Cowley said Wanderers took the decision to postpone the game, something which Pompey respect. But Portsmouth boss Cowley wanted the game to go ahead as planned, even though they too would have missed players.
Evatt has now responded to Cowley's comments over the postponements and understands why the Pompey boss wanted the game to go ahead against a Bolton side that would have been been without many of their best players. But he insists Wanderers were not prepared to take that risk and believes his side are ready to return for a busy October with eight games.
He said: “Well of course, when there is no Conor Bradley, James Trafford. We would all want to play then wouldn’t we? Why wouldn’t you want to play when half of the team is missing and the best players missing. But that is football.
"I am sure again that Danny wanted to play it because his team are in good form. We would have liked to have played because our team is in good form, but unfortunately for us we have internationals away which affect the balance and quality of our team, so why would we take that risk?”
“There are two ways of looking at it. The answer is I don’t know until we start playing again. We were in a rich vein of form before the break and some people will suggest we should have continued and carried on.
"Others will suggest we have had a tough, physical start to the season with some difficult games and a break will refresh the players to go again. I can only speak about what I have seen so far this week and it has been exceptional.”
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