Managers call for International changeNow we all know that the press will prod, promt and provoke managers into saying something newsworthy or controversial, and when there is an international week, it is ripe for it, with many talking points and quieter periods for the club bosses.
Rafa Benitez the latest boss to have come out and lambasted FIFA’s international calendar, following injuries to his star striker Fernando Torres and Dutch winger Ryan Babel.
“There are too many international games and the demands on the players are too much,” bemoaned Benitez.
The King of rotation declared “Someone needs to analyse this situation because it is putting the players at risk of injury.”
The Reds manager has spoken out about the national game and fixtures before, and has company too. Wenger and Ferguson have in the past also had their say on the subject, but earlier in the week it was Aston Villa chief Martin O’Neill who voiced his opinion.
O’Neill’s concern is not the fixture congestion, rather the brief time that many of the players have back with their clubs before games. The disciple of Brian Clough is keen to see the second game of an international break played on a Tuesday rather than a Wednesday.
“The Players on international duty don’t have the break that the non-internationals do and they have to come back at very late hours,” O’Neill told Villa’s official website.
“There’s talk – and I think it is a good idea – of playing the second game on a Tuesday. I don’t think many people would disagree with that because it gives you the extra day,” added O’Neill.
“That would give players the extra time to get home from fairly lengthy distances away. It would give them added preparation time and I think everyone would be happy.”
It may not be quite what Benitez is wanting but he would surely welcome the extra day for the likes of Javier Mascherano to get back. The Argentine has to travel around 7000 Miles to return to Merseyside.
The Spaniard has suggested that UEFA follow a similar structure to Asian, African and North and Central American qualifiers. Multiple stages to cut down the games of the stronger nations, by potentially having nations such as San Marino and Andorra have to play before reaching the groups.
“Maybe the answer is for there to be a two-tier qualifying system because there are too many games in the qualifiers for the World Cup and the European Championships which are not competitive but which still place great demands on the players.
“These fixtures are unnecessary and maybe it would be better if the weaker countries played one another and the best of them went to play the stronger countries in the qualifiers.”
Andy Clements
