As a new World Cup for clubs expansion looms and all European competitions have expanded this season, there is no end in sight to the match calendar getting fuller and fuller. Aside from praying to FIFA and UEFA to slim the football match calendar, there are other ways to confront fixture congestion.
It was a striking moment last month when Manchester City star Rodri shared his frustration about the fixture congestion, only to get severely injured several days later. Rodri and a number of other high profile players even suggested the possibility of player strikes to do something about the ever increasing number of games they have to play.
However, several weeks after Rodri’s comments nothing has changed. No one at football governing bodies like FIFA or UEFA has hinted that their tournaments and competitions will be scaled back. Given the massive financial interests in modern football nowadays this is not a big surprise. Nor would it be a surprise if the match calendar will get even fuller next season.
So if nothing will change about the number of matches, what can be done to reduce the physical pressure on players and protect their health? One radical way to resolve the problem is to look at the length of games. Since 1866 football games have taken ninety minutes, but the game calendar and conditions were very different back then. It may not be farfetched to reduce game time to eighty minutes and two forty minute halves. This would be in line with most under eighteen matches and should only have a limited impact on the game itself. Moreover, over a full season ten minutes per game less playing time could make a big difference on player fitness.
Another solution to the fixture congestion can be to allow for more player rotation in games. Squad sizes could be expanded to a minimum of 33 players, with teams being able to sub eleven instead of just five players per game. This would not only give more opportunities to youngsters to show themselves and gain valuable experience, it would also allow key players to rest more.
Obviously important players that form the spine of a team are less likely to be subbed than the less important players for a squad. A wide number of players may not even want to rest or be subbed, even if it goes against their health and they can easily get injured. Herein lies also a root of the problem. Players need to also be protected against themselves and the interest of sole financial gain, and even over the short term goals of a club. In the end what is in the best interest of the health of the player should be of key importance.
This also brings us to another point that could bring important change, enhancing the influence of doctors and health professionals. Currently it’s regularly a manager that has the last say about who to pick for the first team line-up, even if a player just returned from injury or played a match less than 48-hours ago on the other side of the planet for his country. Perhaps, a doctor or medical specialist should sign off all the players allowed on the pitch. To allow only those that are truly fully fit and ready to play to be selected.
The issue of the full match calendar is especially prevalent at top teams and those that play regular European football, but in the end it is the regular football fan and the game as a whole that loses out because of fixture congestion. Not being able to see the best players compete for months in a row due to injury or players never being able to get fully rested is a big loss for the quality of football and the issue can be easily remedied with some minor changes. If not allowing shorter game time, extra subs or more influence by medical specialists, then perhaps a serious review of the football calendar must be considered imminently.
Too many matches for sure. A game or two every week is fun. More is overkill.