The debate surrounding the grueling schedule in football has reached fever pitch, with Tottenham forward Son Heung-min becoming the latest high-profile player to sound the alarm. Echoing the concerns raised by Manchester City’s Rodri last week, Son highlighted the ‘massive’ risk of injury players face due to the relentless demands placed upon them.
Son’s comments come on the heels of Rodri’s knee ligament damage, sustained during City’s Premier League clash against Arsenal. This injury serves as a stark reminder of the physical toll the current fixture calendar takes on players.
“You don’t want to see players struggling with injuries. No one wants to see it,” Son stated. “A lot of games, a lot of traveling. We’ve got to look after ourselves, which sometimes is very hard. “Mentally, physically, you’re not ready. Then going on to the pitch and then the risk of injury is massive. We’re not robots. Don’t get me wrong, we love playing football. That’s clear.”
Son expressed his agreement with Rodri’s concerns, acknowledging the sheer number of games players are expected to participate in. “Rodri said the right things. We play 50, 60 games and not more than 70 games. When the fixtures come, the players have to play. There’s a lot going on,” Son explained.
The growing discontent over the congested schedule is not merely a player-specific issue. City manager Pep Guardiola has urged players to take a stand against the relentless demands, while Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou believes players may be forced to take matters into their own hands. “They may take things into their own hands. They’re the ones most affected to be honest, so you would understand if they started to think as a collective, how much are we going to have to continually not have a say in?” Postecoglou questioned.
The expansion of the Champions League, with two additional games in the new group stage, along with the upcoming 32-team Club World Cup scheduled for June-July, further fuels the players’ concerns. The new Club World Cup format has even prompted a legal challenge from players’ unions.
The conversation around player well-being and the need for a more sustainable schedule is reaching a tipping point. The spotlight is now firmly fixed on football’s governing bodies to address these concerns and find solutions before further injuries and player burnout become commonplace.
