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Tottenham Hotspur boss Mauricio Pochettino believes the busy schedule players have to deal with is “dangerous” and the situation has been worsened by the introduction of the UEFA Nations League.
Pochettino is concerned about the toll that so many matches have on players and their risk of injury, a concern he feels the powers that be in football do not share.
Per Dan Kilpatrick of the Evening Standard, he said: “It’s dangerous. I’ve told you before that it’s so difficult [for the players]. Football is massive business and it’s not easy. The football business today does not care about the players—it’s all about games, games, games.”
As for the Nations League, it has not increased the number of games, but it has replaced friendlies with competitive fixtures, giving players less opportunity to rest during international breaks.
“Yes, it’s so difficult to understand this competition. You finish the World Cup then first international break you have to compete again in an official tournament. It’s better to say to the player: ‘training, rest, recovery.’
“Then they need to go and I understand the national team wants their best players, always. The problem is always for the clubs. It’s so difficult for the clubs.”
This article will be updated to provide more information on this story as it becomes available.
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