If Adelaide United wins the Asian Champions League it would have done so without the help of Football Federation Australia.

The FFA has demonstrated a lack of understanding of the task United faces in trying to compete simultaneously in the Hyundai A-League and the Asian Champions League.

United had requested some of its A League matches be rescheduled to lessen the burden on players and coaching staff and to dramatically increase its chances of landing the biggest prize in Australian club history.

But instead of bending its own rules the FFA came up with nonsense about not wanting to create a "complex precedent" or disrupt the preparations of the other A League clubs.

It was the kind of decision the old Australian Soccer Federation would have made in the bleak days of "old football."

United have taken the decision in their stride and must be commended for going about their business. And they do have the consolation of the FFA's promise of financial support to offset the cost of business class airfares to Tashkent.

So what is the fuss about? Well, consider this. Having pulled off a remarkable 3-0 win at home over the Uzbeks (and a few Brazilians), United will travel to Brisbane next week for a crucial match against the Roar.

On the following day (Saturday), United's bruised and tired squad begins its marathon journey to the Uzbek capital, Tashkent, where United will play the return leg against Bunyodkor on October 22 (Wednesday).

And having survived (hopefully) the Tashkent onslaught it makes the exhaustive return journey to Adelaide where a day after its arrival it has to front up to Perth Glory at Hindmarsh.

And, assuming it reaches the Final, it has to do it all over again with four games in 13 days including the home and away legs of the Final (Nov 5 and 12) against either Gamba Osaka or Urawa Red Diamonds of Japan.

It also plays Melbourne Victory before the away leg and has a match against Central Coast in Gosford sandwiched before the two Finals.

It's a ridiculous schedule and one that a European club would never be expected to keep. Teams should not be expected to endure a minimum 30 hour return journey to Asia and be expected to meet their A League commitments. It is not fair on the players, club or fans or indeed the A League which will ultimately suffer.

There surely must be a rule that requires teams to have a minimum period of recovery for long haul journeys across several time zones.

In any case the FFA will be forced to do what it has so far declined to do if United reaches the FIFA World Club Championships in Japan in December.

The tournament runs from Dec 11 to 21 and United is scheduled to play Melbourne Victory (Dec 12) and Queensland Roar (Dec 20) during that period.

But United isn't looking that far ahead and it knows it faces a torrid time in Tashkent on October 22 as the Uzbeks need four goals to reverse the semi final.