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The Fixture Schedule

Pep is the latest to have had a pop at the fixture schedule. 2 games in under 48 hours for them. Spurs playing Tuesday night and Thursday night. In the last two weeks we've had a game every 3 days.

While the rest of the continent seems to be laughing at how busy our festive fixture schedule is, we seem to be making it even busier.

However call me a traditionalist, but doesn't it seem to make sense to play football over the festive period when people are off work. After all football is primarily entertainment. Bands perform 6 nights a week, theater productions often put on 8 shows a week. Why should footballers complain about the prospect of 4 matches in 12 days?

Especially given that your average PL side has a squad of 25+ players, enough money to pack it with quality players so others can be rested if necessary and access to the best sports scientists the world has to offer.

You know what I say. Make 'em play more!
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Comments

  • I do think it was crazy potentially having Spurs playing within two days when one could have been played on New Years Day giving them an extra day of rest - Yet ultimately if a club as low a Gillingham can manage to get four points within two days then a Premier League with their infinite resources should be able to manage even easier
  • edited January 2018

    I do think it was crazy potentially having Spurs playing within two days when one could have been played on New Years Day giving them an extra day of rest - Yet ultimately if a club as low a Gillingham can manage to get four points within two days then a Premier League with their infinite resources should be able to manage even easier

    I thought that was the initial plan for the West Ham game, but the police insisted it had to be moved as it clashed with some peoples January sales shopping? As if it wasn't a bad enough location for a football stadium in the first place.
  • I do think it was crazy potentially having Spurs playing within two days when one could have been played on New Years Day giving them an extra day of rest - Yet ultimately if a club as low a Gillingham can manage to get four points within two days then a Premier League with their infinite resources should be able to manage even easier

    I thought that was the initial plan for the West Ham game, but the police insisted it had to be moved as it clashed with some peoples January sales shopping? As if it wasn't a bad enough location for a football stadium in the first place.
    Wembley isn't exactly close to any Shopping areas though... Seems a daft decision
  • Spurs playing Sunday would have had a 47000 restriction, playing tomorrow they get 80000 West Ham still only get 4000 so I’m led to believe.
  • edited January 2018

    I do think it was crazy potentially having Spurs playing within two days when one could have been played on New Years Day giving them an extra day of rest - Yet ultimately if a club as low a Gillingham can manage to get four points within two days then a Premier League with their infinite resources should be able to manage even easier

    I thought that was the initial plan for the West Ham game, but the police insisted it had to be moved as it clashed with some peoples January sales shopping? As if it wasn't a bad enough location for a football stadium in the first place.
    Wembley isn't exactly close to any Shopping areas though... Seems a daft decision
    When I was told that I assumed the game was at Stratford. Didn't realise it's at Wembley - makes the decision seem dafter.
  • I guess the other reason could be the Police requirements

    Being New Years Eve there would have been a lot of Officers patrolling around the Embankment area ahead of the traditional gathering there - Wonder if they didn't want Spurs v West Ham happening as would have meant fewer for New Years!!
  • Love this line from Guardiola

    I know here in England the show must go on, but that's not normal guys,"

    Erm fraid it is normal here Pep - I like him yet hate the typical rubbish they sprout
  • Spurs West ham was scheduled for NYE but police said not enough resources to police that with all the other NYE shenanigans and would have had to have had a lower capacity.

    These are meant to be elite athletes.
    If they cannot work for 90 minutes every other day they should be ashamed.

    Cyclists spend hours in the saddle day after day.
    Tennis players must win 7 games in two weeks to win a grand slam.
  • MrOneLung said:

    Spurs West ham was scheduled for NYE but police said not enough resources to police that with all the other NYE shenanigans and would have had to have had a lower capacity.

    These are meant to be elite athletes.
    If they cannot work for 90 minutes every other day they should be ashamed.

    Cyclists spend hours in the saddle day after day.
    Tennis players must win 7 games in two weeks to win a grand slam.

    Neither of which have the opposition trying to kick the shit out of them.
  • they are complaining the players are tired - not injured through a tackle.
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  • edited January 2018

    MrOneLung said:

    Spurs West ham was scheduled for NYE but police said not enough resources to police that with all the other NYE shenanigans and would have had to have had a lower capacity.

    These are meant to be elite athletes.
    If they cannot work for 90 minutes every other day they should be ashamed.

    Cyclists spend hours in the saddle day after day.
    Tennis players must win 7 games in two weeks to win a grand slam.

    Neither of which have the opposition trying to kick the shit out of them.
    Have you not seen some of the crashes in cycling?

    Cant remember who it was yet you had one in the Tour a few years ago who kept on with a broken collarbone in the final few stages, one of them being in the mountains (Hincapie I think) whilst Dan Martin completed the whole Tour last year whilst enduring back spasms the whole way.
  • edited January 2018
    Premier League clubs are always moaning. Most will make 10 changes at the weekend for the FA Cup giving everyone ten days off between premier league matches.

    As a huge supporter of the English National team I don't mind them having a two week winter break, but it must not affect either cup competitions for the lower division.

    Slightly off the subject, I would actually follow the Scottish model and have the league cup finish before Christmas.
  • Premier League clubs are always moaning. Most will make 10 changes at the weekend for the FA Cup giving everyone ten days off between premier league matches.

    As a huge supporter of the English National team I don't mind them having a two week winter break, but it must not affect either cup competitions for the lower division.

    Slightly off the subject, I would actually follow the Scottish model and have the league cup finish before Christmas.

    And then they'll go and have a two game tour in Dubai to make some extra money.

    When would the 4 games that are played in that 2 week period then be played though? There aren't that many free midweeks where there aren't already cup competitions/replays or European games being played....
  • Nail on head , a winter break = more games being played abroad for kerchinga at the top level.
  • What's slightly unfortunate is the unevenness of the fixtures over the holiday period due to matches being moved for TV or police advice.

    Playing games 2 days after the previous one is tough, but acceptable if both teams have to do the same. Last night West Brom played 2 days after their previous match, whereas West Ham had 7 days before the game. If the Arsenal/WBA had been played on Saturday instead of Sunday, then they would have had 3 days recovery which could have made a difference last night, especially as it was a real 6 pointer at the bottom.

  • Why does he not complain about the money grabbing pre-season tours to far flung places involving 18 hour flights. Pre-season used to be about playing local lower league sides involving very little travel and help boost the coffers of the lower league sides, but now believe that even Charlton charge Welling a fee to visit PVR to play the traditional pre-season friendly. Tired premier league footballers your having a laugh.
  • I would have more sympathy if they didn't fly off to China or wherever at the first sign of an opportunity. Haven't Spurs (and possibly others) been doing "post-season tours" abroad in recent years?
  • Maybe just play a whole round of fixtures every day like they do in baseball / hockey? Teams play each other eight times a season so there are 150 games. Each club would need around100 players to allow for rotation..

    Loads more money from Sky, BT etc... How can it be wrong?
  • You can bet if any of the top six get knocked out of the cup over the weekend, they will arrange a match in Dubai on the date of the next round.
  • Dansk_Red said:

    You can bet if any of the top six get knocked out of the cup over the weekend, they will arrange a match in Dubai on the date of the next round.

    Does that happen?
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  • They could always reduce the size of the European competitions to cut down on games. Maybe even have the champions league for the team that finishes first only. What a crazy idea that would be. Perhaps stop their outrageous money spinning global tours. As others say they'd only use a winter break to play a friendly in China. It's all about the incredible levels of greed from the clubs and players so screw them I say
  • Too many games in a short space of time ....what a load of old tosh.

    in the late 70's & early 80's Liverpool & N.Forest won Leagues & European Cup's playing 42 league games, FA & League cups with multiple replays (no penalties after a draw) on heavy & muddy pitches with just 1 sub being allowed. Most players played over 60 games & played 90 mins every week.
  • Too many games in a short space of time ....what a load of old tosh.

    in the late 70's & early 80's Liverpool & N.Forest won Leagues & European Cup's playing 42 league games, FA & League cups with multiple replays (no penalties after a draw) on heavy & muddy pitches with just 1 sub being allowed. Most players played over 60 games & played 90 mins every week.

    Sport science has moved on tremendously since those days - today's footballers have carefully controlled diets and training regimes, every last element of their physical preparation is monitored and scrutinised to help squeeze out an extra 1% of performance; they are supposed to be fitter than ever.

    When English clubs were dominating the European Cup I think the typical pre-match routine for a player wasn't much different to the fans: pie, pint, maybe a fag or two!
  • Little sympathy for the modern day footballer but Clubs will have had 10 games in something like 29 days. Now there are approximately 20 weeks 'til the end of the League season - to play just 16 League games. I know there is the FA Cup, CL and whatever the new name of the League Cup is to play but even that, for a successful side, is only another dozen games in total i.e. a maximum of 28 games in about 140 days.
  • no sympathy at all for prem sides moaning about the fixtures....they've all got massive squads and are more than happy to take Sky's money.

    I used to work 5 days a week and play on a Saturday afternoon and again Sunday morning (after a night on the piss)
  • Why not limit the League Cup to League clubs only? Gives a couple of teams a chance to appear at Wembley.

    Premier clubs not interested as they field reserve/development teams until they get to the later stages.

    One minute they moan about it but will probably moan louder if they couldn't take part.

    If would free up some midweek dates to get their fixtures out the way.
  • iaitch said:

    Why not limit the League Cup to League clubs only? Gives a couple of teams a chance to appear at Wembley.

    Premier clubs not interested as they field reserve/development teams until they get to the later stages.

    One minute they moan about it but will probably moan louder if they couldn't take part.

    If would free up some midweek dates to get their fixtures out the way.

    Better still give the premiership clubs the option of weather to compete in the competition.
    That would allow clubs competing in Europe the opportunity to drop out.
  • Pep is the latest to have had a pop at the fixture schedule. 2 games in under 48 hours for them. Spurs playing Tuesday night and Thursday night. In the last two weeks we've had a game every 3 days.

    While the rest of the continent seems to be laughing at how busy our festive fixture schedule is, we seem to be making it even busier.

    However call me a traditionalist, but doesn't it seem to make sense to play football over the festive period when people are off work. After all football is primarily entertainment. Bands perform 6 nights a week, theater productions often put on 8 shows a week. Why should footballers complain about the prospect of 4 matches in 12 days?

    Especially given that your average PL side has a squad of 25+ players, enough money to pack it with quality players so others can be rested if necessary and access to the best sports scientists the world has to offer.

    You know what I say. Make 'em play more!

    Clubs love the Sky/BT Sport money and that unfortunately is what it's all about now days.
  • Pep is the latest to have had a pop at the fixture schedule. 2 games in under 48 hours for them. Spurs playing Tuesday night and Thursday night. In the last two weeks we've had a game every 3 days.

    While the rest of the continent seems to be laughing at how busy our festive fixture schedule is, we seem to be making it even busier.

    However call me a traditionalist, but doesn't it seem to make sense to play football over the festive period when people are off work. After all football is primarily entertainment. Bands perform 6 nights a week, theater productions often put on 8 shows a week. Why should footballers complain about the prospect of 4 matches in 12 days?

    Especially given that your average PL side has a squad of 25+ players, enough money to pack it with quality players so others can be rested if necessary and access to the best sports scientists the world has to offer.

    You know what I say. Make 'em play more!

    Clubs love the Sky/BT Sport money and that unfortunately is what it's all about now days.
    Yet fail to realise its SKY / BT who are messing around with the Schedule ensuring that clubs are getting different recovery times
  • Surely not?

    I assumed it was coincidence that they had a London, Liverpool and Manchester derby on the same day, just a fluke by the computer they say, yeah right.
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