Latics keep Bees date

ATHLETIC have revealed they had the option of calling off the Brentford game on Saturday due to international call-ups.

Striker Warren Feeney is away preparing for Northern Ireland’s big home Euro 2012 qualifier against Italy which takes place tomorrow night at Windsor Park.

Winger Kirk Millar is in Germany with the same country’s under-19s squad, who are involved in a UEFA Championship qualifying round mini-tournament with matches against Switzerland tomorrow, Germany on Sunday and Andorra on Wednesday.

And Athletic’s other jet-setter is Rodrigue Dikaba, who is on duty with the Democratic Republic of Congo. The right-sided player has been called up for the DR Congo squad, with a 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier away to Cameroon on Saturday.

When three senior players are away representing their country, clubs have the facility of being able to postpone a scheduled fixture.

However, with only Feeney a potential starter for Athletic’s npower League One clash at Griffin Park, Paul Dickov wanted the match to go ahead as planned.

“The manager considered it better to play at Brentford on a Saturday rather than to travel down on a Tuesday night later in the season,” said Athletic chief executive Alan Hardy.

“It is a better solution for everyone, not least the fans who are making the trip.”

Athletic assistant manager Gerry Taggart is celebrating after gaining his UEFA Pro License, football’s highest coaching qualification.

It has taken the former Barnsley centre-back four years of work to achieve Pro status, after successfully graduating through UEFA ‘B’ and ‘A’ licenses.

Taggart is in Belfast today, where he will receive his diploma. His study group included former Northern Ireland team-mates Neil Lennon, Steve Lomas and Jim Magilton, ex-Chelsea and Netherlands centre-back Winston Bogarde and Accrington Stanley manager John Coleman.

The 39-year-old will watch Feeney in action against Italy tomorrow night before linking back up with Athletic ahead of the Brentford match on Saturday.