OMAR IN PLEA TO AUTHORITIES
SUTTON United’s Omar Bugiel is calling on the National League and FA to provide financial support to clubs and players whether the season is extended or cancelled.
The Covid-19 pandemic – having already thrown the rest of the season into turmoil – could cause further difficulties if the season is extended past May due to expiring player contracts.
With all play suspended, clubs could lose significant numbers in their squad with games still to be played in the event of a much-delayed season finish.
The German-born 26-year-old said: “The National League and FA should be stepping in and supporting every single club at this time.
“Clubs will obviously struggle with no income and that filters down to staff and players who might not get paid.”
“Players at this level only sign one to two-year deals. If the season carries on after May what happens to the players out of contract? The job is done once the season’s up – out of contract players leave clubs as soon as the last game finishes.”
Lebanon international Bugiel – who has seen a potential recall to the national team disappear due to recent events – understands play needed to be stopped.
He played in last weekend’s controversial round of games as his side drew 1-1 with Hartlepool United.
“Some things are more important than football,” he said. “Suspending the season is the right thing to do – I still don’t understand why we were made to play last weekend. We were playing when the Premier League, EFL and even leagues below us were calling games off. We felt like we’d been left behind.
“The atmosphere ahead of the game was weird, we couldn’t talk to mascots or sponsors. After the game nobody hung around – we all got straight in our cars and went home.”
The sudden pause in the season comes at a bad time for Sutton with the club having only lost two of the last ten games. Bugiel believes a late play-off push isn’t beyond the Gander Green Lane club – if and when the season restarts.
Now fully fit after a raft of injuries – calf, groin and hamstring niggles have kept him out at various points of the season – he is eager to show what he can do after a frustrating inand-out year.
“We took a long time to get going this season, with injuries throughout the squad,” he said. “I was disappointed with my season start – not really getting involved, and my injuries holding me back. Now I’m fit and among the goals again. I got the winner against my former club Bromley recently – I didn’t really want to celebrate, but the rest of the team enjoyed it! I would be gutted if the season ends now – there are only six weeks to go.”
Ambitious striker Bugiel – who despite an injury-truncated season is now into double figures in all competitions – is also looking to the future.
“You want to be playing every week to prove you’re good enough to play further up the pyramid,” he added. “No game time doesn’t allow you to do that.”