Manchester City midfielder Rodri has commented and expressed much concern of the numerous matches in professional football, the players being close to the idea of striking.
Football is identified in this statement as an area that has elicited concern most especially due to the busy schedules that player’s complained of particularly in the recent seasons.
These remarks have been made by Rodri at a time when the football calendar has significantly elongated especially due to the innovations to some competitions such as the champions league as well as the club world cup.
Such alterations may cause some of the most significant English Premier League clubs such as Manchester City’s play a maximum of 75 competitive games in a season.
He also noted that current workload is unhealthy for the players and quite unsustainable as highlighted by Rodri.
The Spaniard expounded and said that it is not uncommon for many players to feel that the value is placed on them in terms of products rather than as people with feelings.
“This congested calendar is a matter of concern for professionals in the game indicating that such intense schedule can have both a mental and a physical impact.” Rodri said.
Then using the discussion from Rodri there would be a number of matches that would be preferable for the players where they would play the maximum of 40 to 50 matches in a season.
“Looking at my experience I can tell you 60-70 now, between 40-50 is the amount a player can play in the highest level, after you drop because it is impossible to sustain the highest level.” Rodri said.
“This year we can go to 70, maybe 80, in my humble opinion it is too much. Someone has to take care of ourselves. We are the main characters of this sport or business.” he added.
This feeling is characteristic of a vast majority of football players, coaches, and fans who share the believe that more and more often the financial aspect of the sport overpower the human side of it.
That is why such concepts as player strike seems appropriate in order to stress the necessity of solving such problems.
This action has raised debate of whether similar actions are possible and legal in the game among football fraternity through Rodri.
The possibility of strikes as a result of fixture congestion might act as a deterrent to the governing bodies to change on how they arrange fixtures and embrace the need to consider welfare of the players.
