Tony Pulis says he is disappointed at the timing of Stoke's FA Cup fourth round tie at Derby as it gives his side no time to rest.
The Potters will no sooner have finished Saturday's clash with the Rams before their attentions start to turn towards a Premier League clash at Old Trafford against reigning champions Manchester United.
Pulis thinks it's madness to expect his players to play to their full potential with two big games scheduled so close towards and is calling for more common sense from the sport's decision makers, particularly with another testing fixture at home to Sunderland to plan for as well four days later.
"This round has been lined up with two Premier League games following it, and it shows what other people think of the FA Cup," he said.
"That is disappointing, to have it as part of a three-game week, but we will approach it in the right way and hopefully we will get the result.
"As soon as the game is over with, we will be preparing for Manchester United away, but that is the one disappointment - with the FA Cup, you would like to have a bit of time after it and you haven't, because they have put a Premier League fixture in straight away afterwards."
When it was pointed out to him that Tuesday's match also coincides with the January transfer window deadline, Pulis added: "I didn't want to bring that up, but that shows how well organised it is.
"You make plans with great difficulty, but then that is the people running football."