Strike threat over football calendar with players at ‘breaking point’

AFP |  London

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Players could strike in their bid to cut down on the number of matches they play, England’s Professional Footballers’ Association warned FIFA. Football’s world governing body is under growing pressure to address the workload of elite players, with threats of legal action.

The PFA wants action to alter the congested football calendar, especially with the expanded 32-team Club World Cup proposed for next summer.

An event Thursday in London by the PFA and FIFPRO, the international players’ union, heard that players were at “breaking point”. PFA chief executive Maheta Molango recalled a recent conversation he had with players of an unnamed club.

“How far would you like to go?” Molango recounted asking the players, according to the BBC. “Some of them said: ‘I’m not having it, we may as well strike.’ “Some said: ‘What’s the point? Yes, I’m a millionaire, but I don’t even have time to spend the money.’”

Molango added: “We have reached a point where we cannot discount any action.” Alexander Bielefeld, head of policy for FIFPRO, told the BBC the results of the the annual player workload review are “staggering”.

He warned that it is going to only increase next season. “We are ahead of the worst season in terms of new fixture calendar, with the new Uefa Champions League format kicking in and also the (expanded) Club World Cup entering the calendar,” saoid Bielefeld.

“There is the ability to more evenly attribute workload and matches amongst players and also amongst young talent.