Heung-min Son weighs in on the fixture congestion debate at Tottenham
It is not often we get to hear from Heung-min Son in pre-match press conferences, but the Spurs skipper has taken time out of his busy schedule to discuss… that busy schedule, actually.
Players love the game, but it’s becoming too much
The topic of fixture congestion has been a source of great debate for a few years now, particularly due to the impact of COVID-19 and the winter World Cup in Qatar, both of which have had a knock-on effect on club football.
With Tottenham in the Europa League this year, they will be playing on Thursday nights and at the weekend for the foreseeable future, as well as Carabao Cup ties, and FA Cup matches coming in the New Year.
Speaking to the press (via Football.London), Son was asked about the hectic schedule he and his peers face each season, and he insisted it is simply not a sustainable process as it is right now, and can lead to serious issues for players.
He said: “Don’t get me wrong, we love playing football. That’s clear. It’s not only just about the games though, it’s the travelling and the preparation. It’s a lot of work.
“For example City’s games they played Sunday and Tuesday, that’s not even flexible. This is what we’re talking about and it’s normal that people get injured and there’s a high risk of injury. It’s not fair.”
Daniel Levy agrees
Son is not the only one to put forward this belief that players are being asked to do too much. Players themselves have lodged complaints that their bodies cannot withstand the demands placed on them (The Athletic).
Ange Postecoglou has added his thoughts on the matter, too (via The Standard), saying: “I think it is getting close to breaking point and if the authorities ignore it, I think the players will take it into their own hands.”
Spurs chairman, Daniel Levy shared his sentiments, adding: “I agree there’s too many games. But the problem we have, the particular problem in England is we have an extra cup competition compared to the rest of Europe.”
Levy cited the competitiveness of the Premier League compared to Europe’s other leagues as an issue, as well as the international schedule that interrupts the domestic season so often.
Is there a solution?
While I agree players are having to fit in too many games each week at the highest level, I’m just not sure what the solution could be. Clubs like Tottenham have to compete across all fronts, and being involved in continental competition is a big deal.
The only real fix for this is that the Carabao Cup would need to be almost disregarded as a lesser competition, allowing players to be rested and younger players to come in. Plus, the international schedule has to be resolved, as that is far too intrusive on the league season.
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