14 shares
2
View
comments
I've been disappointed to hear the amount of whingeing about fixture congestion, particularly from Premier League managers.
They wouldn’t earn the big money without TV rights being sold around the world, so they can’t have it both ways. I accept Covid is a factor — and there are some genuine cases of teams being unable to fulfil commitments — but a lot of the arguments I’m hearing from Thomas Tuchel, Jurgen Klopp and others don’t wash.
If players were asked if they wanted to play over Christmas, I’m sure the vast majority would say ‘yes’. Dealing with the current situation positively would be more productive than clubs moaning.
It's been disappointing to hear bosses like Jurgen Klopp whingeing about fixture congestion
My Liverpool side played 63 games in 2001, winning three cup competitions, and one of the reasons for our success is that Gerard Houllier presented it as a challenge rather than a negative.
Moving into 2022, my advice for managers would be to stop giving their players an excuse by frequently talking about fatigue and tiredness. The top teams have strong squads packed with international players. If you’re missing a few, use the ones available and jump over the hurdle.
We saw last week how Southampton battled with 10 men to draw with Spurs a few days after winning at West Ham, while Leicester beat Liverpool having just visited Manchester City. It proved that a tough run of games doesn’t have to break your spirit, creativity and concentration.
Leicester's win over Liverpool shows a tough run of games doesn't have to break your spirit
I earned good money as a player and realised I was benefiting from the high global demand for English football. I recognised my part of the
