Sabri Lamouchi says he's 'surprised' the EFL are yet to come to a decision on Cardiff City's abandoned Championship clash with Rotherham United.
The Bluebirds, who were winning 1-0 when the game at the New York Stadium was abandoned due to a waterlogged pitch, have been made to wait for nearly two weeks to discover what will happen next, amid concerns of a possible fixture pile-up over the coming weeks.
It's understood EFL chiefs met on Wednesday to discuss a number of issues, including the events in south Yorkshire, but at the time of writing, a decision still hasn't yet been reached.
Lamouchi didn't speak to the media after the abandoned game, but Cardiff were angry it was called off.
Commenting on the incident for the first time, Lamouchi alluded to the sense of frustration that's building in the capital, adding that the club desperately need some clarity on the EFL's position.
"I’m so surprised about this situation," he said. "For many reasons. It’s now close to two weeks and we don’t know the answer. We don’t know when we’ll play this game. Whether we must replay this game. I trust the EFL to come back to us. It’s important for both clubs, managers and players to know about it."
Cardiff are believed to be unhappy with Rotherham's alleged lack of effort to get the game restarted on the day, and there is some appetite within the capital for the game to be replayed at 48 minutes at 1-0.
It seems unlikely the EFL will agree to such an arrangement, although sources inside the league haven't categorically ruled it out as a possibility.
"We can ask for what we want," Lamouchi continued. "I can ask for three points. We can ask to play from 48 minutes but it’s what the EFL decides.
"We don’t know. We can defend our situation because it was clear and evident. Unfortunately we don’t try to play. We don’t take the right decision.
"It’s really important for both managers and players to know the final decision. The EFL issue they will decide about that case. It was a surprise for me. Because I play many times in the worst situations. In this day, the referee decided to stop the game and we didn’t try even one time to restart the game. But now we need to know. As you know this game is really, really important for both clubs.
The most likely solution will be that the game is replayed from the start at a later date, although there are limited windows in which a rearranged fixture could be played.
It's certainly a less than ideal situation for City, who are still not safe from relegation to League One heading into the final few weeks of the season.
Asked if he was worried about a potential fixture pile-up, the Frenchman added: "We don't have a lot of choice. Probably the last two weeks are the only times we can play. So possibly between Stoke and Huddersfield or between Huddersfield and Burnley. I don't' see other possibilities.
"What can we do? We just have to accept and wait for the EFL's decision.
"It's a strange situation. I can't complain about my players because they start well and they play well. They deserved more goals in the first half. We were winning the game and fate is fate. All of the fans, players, club, staff, manager.
"We are all awaiting the EFL's decision."
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