30 May 2024 22:23:22
FIFA warned players may go on strike if they continue to be overworked!
Please please tell me it’s April 1st.
30 May 2024 23:02:19
They should. The number of games is ludicrous. It damages the spectacle for everyone.
There are more international games than ever with tournament sizes getting far too large, the CL has too many games, it goes on and on. What exactly is the April Fools aspect of that. I'd love to have fewer games if it means more knockout football where there is actual risk associated with the play.
31 May 2024 03:40:06
The very small minority of these overpaid privileged people have to play in these games. And they are the ones that get paid the stupid money week in week out win or lose.
Tell me how the majority are overworked? They chose this profession. If you do not like it, move on. There are plenty (millions) who would take their place for a lot less and not whinge about it.
There are people out there that work considerably harder for 50 years plus, not 15 and then retire. Some of which risk their lives daily! Nurses, doctors etc work double shifts for a pittance with high suicide rates but still turn up day in day out whilst these primadonnas are out playing golf or getting there hair cut in some fancy style paying more than some people earn in a week!
Overworked my proverbial A$$!
There is the April fools bit!
31 May 2024 11:19:51
Keefy I hear what your saying but.
1 their wages are irrelevant imo. Who cares what they earn.
2 the top players are desperately over played. No other sport plays as often as they do. Maybe basketball.
Athletes may have 1 big race every couple of weeks.
Rugby one a week at most.
Swimming galas once a month
Even horses rarely race more than once a week.
They are being pushed further than their bodies allow.
It's too much and the quality is being affected adversely imo.
Something has to give and at the moment it's their health and well being that is at risk.
31 May 2024 13:40:26
Agree to disagree. Accept your wage argument to some extent. Less over inflated wages for poor players would allow bigger squads and lesson their “workloads”. Poor loves.
I played to a reasonable level and loved every minute of it and couldn’t wait to get the boots on again. I played twice a week and would play 5 a side in between.
As I said, overworked? Hardly. Perhaps their heartstrings are a little weak?
Remember in the 70’s players played up to 42 league games, 9 European cup games, FA cup and League cup games being kicked up in the air every week, not like these protected species these days. Can’t remember any of them saying they were overworked.
Games gone soft.
But then I’m old school and from a different era. A fossil if you like!
31 May 2024 13:42:58
There is no doubt the football schedule is not ideal if you want players at their physical peak.
Post match recovery is 72 to 96 hours.
The season last 10 months.
Post season the athlete should rest 2 to 4 weeks in most cases to allow the body to heal. The training should then follow an active recovery period then pre season, there isn't enough time in the year to allow this. Skipping on this period will put players at risk of injury and hamper their conditioning.
The pre season tours significantly hamper the training staffs ability to build conditioning and injury resistance In the players.
Players routinely play through minor injury that ideally should be rested.
Now the players at the top get fabulous rewards however if the question is purely about does the schedule adversely affect fitness of players and contribute to injuries then it is a yes and the intensity if matches and schedule have both increased in each decade over the last 30 to 40 years I have been watching football.
Football isn't alone, crickets schedule is wrecking players fast bowlers especially.
Rugby which due to collisions and injuries is trying to sort it schedule out due to player safety.
Basketball as Ken says has a ridiculous schedule. Players will wit out games or have minutes on court limited because of this.
Cycling a hugely physical demanding sport has cyclists peaking for different events as you cannot peak for the entire season. that's why generally each of the grand tours have different winners, you cannot reach the required level to win all of them.
The argu, ent isn't that they aren't rewarded, they are, it isn't that they aren't privileged they are, it isn't that they are more deserving, more important to society than a soldier, nurse, fireman or what public service you name, they aren't.
It is that the schedule is too intense for them to perform at the required level and that there performance and injury risk are adversely affected by the schedule.
The schedule hasn't been designed with a thought for the impact on the players it's been designed to maximise revenues of the clubs and associations.
Now a reduction in schedule may correspond to lower wages if the tv deals are lower because of less football and presumably the players have considered this.
31 May 2024 13:48:03
Prob no older than myself.
Tbf keefy playing the level you played v epl or la liga is probably like comparing the Olympic 100m final to the dads race at your kids school sports day. ??.
31 May 2024 13:55:39
Just because footballers earn a lot of money and have a privileged lifestyle, does not mean they can't suffer from fatigue and burnout. They play the sport at a very high level, intensity is so much higher compared to even 10-15 years ago. The amount of games they play seems to grow every season and they almost get no break, the quality of the games is going to suffer.
The nurses point is so reductive and tedious man, noone is saying they work harder than these people or have a more difficult job.
31 May 2024 15:13:24
The issue is no rest period. A busy hectic schedule in the season is fine. But some of these players are getting 2 weeks max in the off season. It is crazy.
Argentina want Garnacho to play at the Olympics after the Copa America! The lad is still a baby and needs proper rest in recoup in the off season before we go again.
31 May 2024 17:49:36
DB I fully agree.
I can fully understand why garnacho would like to play in both.
He is not 1st choice for Argentina so I suspect his minutes will be sparce in the copa but your absolutely right even if he doesn't play much its not rest.
Maybe sancho will be in his spot when he gets back???.
31 May 2024 23:22:39
Agree tumble. But still relative. Still run around as much if not more. Get a lot more time on the ball the higher level you play.
31 May 2024 23:23:47
Tedious and reductive. Wow!
01 Jun 2024 00:24:47
Yeah, not so much the minutes played. They need to have downtime. Maybe work on fitness/ power I. The gym but stat off grass and away from ball.