Afrigather Tottenham captain Heung-Min Son has criticised the elevated workload on gamers and has urged the soccer authorities to take the difficulty “actually significantly” amid hypothesis gamers may take strike motion.
Son has turn out to be the most recent participant – together with Man Metropolis duo Rodri and Manuel Akanji, and Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker – to voice concern over the extra workload dealing with elite professionals.
Rodri, who suffered a knee ligament damage in Sunday’s 2-2 draw in opposition to Arsenal, even advised final week gamers may strike over growing fixture congestion.
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Ange Postecoglou says the expanded fixture schedule must be addressed with the intention to shield gamers from damage
Talking forward of Spurs’ opening Europa League recreation in opposition to Qarabag on Thursday, Son stated: “Numerous gamers got here out and stated the appropriate issues and I feel it was crucial that somebody truly got here out to say the appropriate issues.
“Gamers are the primary guys to need to say one thing and it is positively numerous video games. As a soccer fan you need to see a high quality recreation, not as many video games as attainable, and you do not need to see folks or gamers battling accidents, which no one needs to see.
“It is positively numerous video games, numerous travelling [so] we’ve got to take care of ourselves which is usually very onerous, and generally mentally and bodily you are not prepared and once you’re going onto the pitch then the chance of damage is huge.
Son spoke out in opposition to the growing workload on gamers forward of the sport in opposition to Qarabag
“We’re not robots, so I feel we simply positively need to take care of that and positively cut back the video games and might play a greater high quality of recreation. I feel this ought to be the purpose.”
He added: “I feel it is numerous work and the programme is including much more video games. For instance, Metropolis performed on Sunday [against Arsenal] and Tuesday [against Watford]. This was not even versatile, so it may in all probability transfer for the blokes to Wednesday as an alternative of Tuesday, but it surely’s not versatile.
“I feel that is what we’re speaking about and that is regular that everyone will get an damage and a excessive danger of damage. I feel it isn’t truthful.
“Additionally, I feel Rodri says the appropriate issues that we play perhaps 50 or 60 video games and no more than 70 video games – I feel this isn’t truthful.”
Son: UEFA, FA and FIFA need to take situation actually significantly
Son needs the variety of video games to be lowered by the soccer authorities
Requested whether or not he could be in favour of happening strike, the South Korea captain replied: “No, you need to go to the ultimate and play numerous video games. That is a special situation, however what I need to say is that the platform, for instance, the Champions League modified to play much more video games and I feel this isn’t proper to take care of gamers.
“What we are able to do is that we positively can change it and we are able to positively go in a great way that folks can take care of the gamers.”
Questioned over whose accountability it’s to strike, the 32-year-old responded: “It is positively not the gamers.
“When the fixtures come the gamers need to be on the pitch. There’s so much happening. UEFA, the FA and FIFA, everyone has to take this actually significantly. It isn’t simply random, like just a few gamers come out saying it is manner too many video games.
“What we need to see is high-quality video games and high video games with high gamers, so I feel this ought to be the purpose.
“Clearly accidents additionally generally include much less video games, however with the potential for numerous travelling, numerous video games then will probably be increased than once you play much less video games.”
Ange: We’re attending to harmful ranges over participant workload
Spurs start their Europa League marketing campaign on Thursday at dwelling to Qarabag and the preliminary part of the competitors has been prolonged to eight video games as an alternative of six, which can also be the identical for the Champions League.
Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou stated of participant welfare: “They could take issues into their very own palms. They’re those most affected to be trustworthy, so you’d perceive in the event that they began to suppose as a collective, how a lot are we going to have to repeatedly not have a say in?
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Highlights from Tottenham’s match in opposition to Brentford within the Premier League
“I’ve spoken already in regards to the reality we’re attending to an actual harmful stage about what our expectations are round gamers. As an alternative of specializing in one or two tournaments, it is in regards to the calendar. That’s extra of a problem.
“Gamers do not get a break between seasons any extra like they used to. There are extra tournaments each at membership stage, worldwide stage and continental stage.
“So, it is going to get to a degree the place we’re not going to have the very best gamers on the market taking part in and, even worse, them breaking down for numerous causes. It is positively one thing that must be addressed.”
‘I like Rodrigo’ – Son has no drawback with Bentancur over alleged comment
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Son defends Rodrigo Bentancur following his FA cost for allegedly making offensive feedback about his team-mate
Son additionally expressed his “love” for team-mate Rodrigo Bentancur, regardless of the Uruguay midfielder making an alleged racist comment in regards to the South Korean over the summer season.
The previous Juventus man was charged final Thursday with an alleged misconduct breach by the Soccer Affiliation in relation to a media interview.
Within the clip, which emerged in June, the host of a Canal 10 present requested Bentancur to indicate the shirt of a Spurs participant, with the 27-year-old allegedly replying: “Sonny’s? It might be Sonny’s cousin too as all of them look the identical.”
Whereas an apology from Bentancur was swiftly forthcoming, resulting from this being an “aggravated breach”, if an impartial regulatory fee panel upholds the FA cost, he might be suspended for six to 12 home matches, the PA information company understands.
Son stated: “In the intervening time, due to the FA course of, I can not say a lot about it. However I like Rodrigo, I like him. We have numerous good recollections, we began taking part in collectively when he joined [in January 2022].
“He knew. He apologised straight afterwards once we had vacation. I used to be at dwelling. I did not even realise what was happening. He despatched me a protracted message and you would really feel it was coming from his coronary heart.
“After we got here again for pre-season, he felt actually sorry and he virtually cried when he apologised publicly and personally as nicely. He felt like he was actually sorry. We’re all human and all make errors and we study from it.
“I like Rodrigo. I like him, I like him. He is aware of he made a mistake however I’ve no drawback in any respect with him. We transfer on as a team-mate and pal and as a brother. We transfer on collectively.”
