Kompany, Alonso call for action on player workload amid strike talks
On Friday, Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany and his Bayer Leverkusen counterpart, Xabi Alonso, joined the growing chorus calling for action on player workload, amid talks of a strike.Kompany believes a cap should be placed on the number of games a player can play each year, whereas Alonso believes players should have a greater say in fixture scheduling decisions.
Concerns about the workload on players have grown in recent years, particularly as the number of matches has increased.
This year's Champions League features new fixtures, while FIFA's expanded 32-team Club World Cup will take place this summer, when players would normally take a break.
Top clubs with European and domestic cup commitments could play as many as 75 games this season.
At a press conference ahead of Saturday's match against Werder Bremen, Kompany stated that "it was already a theme during my (playing) career" and described it as "a very important topic."
"Playing 75 or 80 games becomes unrealistic after a certain point.
"The solution I've always wanted is to limit the number of games a player can play individually. "Put a cap, a mandatory period of holidays (for players)," he said.
Rodri, the current midfield general at Manchester City, where Kompany spent many years as a player, stated on Tuesday that the "general opinion of the players" is that "we are close to a strike."
"If it keeps going this way, there will be a time when there's no other option," the Spaniard predicted.
Alisson Becker, the Liverpool custodian, and Thibaut Courtois, the Real Madrid custodian, have made similar statements in recent days.
Striking A'Ibom Poly workers lock out students and lecturers.
Alonso told reporters before Leverkusen's league match against Wolfsburg on Sunday that he understands Rodri and the other players. We want to see good football, so professional players should be involved in these decisions.
"The schedule is extremely tight. "They need to be heard."
Kompany has previously spoken out on the issue, and he was a member of the FIFPro Players Union while captaining Manchester City and the Belgian national team.
The 38-year-old stated that the cap would be "the best of both worlds" because it would "take away the pressure on the clubs."
He also stated that the model should "always include exceptions for finals—we can't take that away from players."
Kompany promised squad rotations in the coming weeks to accommodate Bayern's midweek football commitments.
"We're talking about a hectic schedule and stress for the players. "Our squad is not a luxury; we need it to achieve our objectives," he stated.
The coach stated that the decision on whether veteran captain and custodian Manuel Neuer would be available to face Bremen "would be made after training."
The custodian was replaced at halftime in Tuesday's 9-2 victory over Dinamo Zagreb after falling on his back.
Kompany stated that Bayern "did not want to take any unnecessary risks," but added that "it looks good (for Neuer)."
Leave A Comment