Jamie Vardy and Leicester City stars to be rested during 'unfair' and 'nonsensical' schedule

[davieG]

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/jamie-vardy-leicester-city-stars-3667943

 

Brendan Rodgers says players' welfare is not being considered with City to play two matches in under 48 hours next week

ByJordan Blackwell
22:30, 20 DEC 2019

Jamie Vardy and Leicester City’s star players will have to be rested in potentially crucial Premier League matches because of the “unfair” and “nonsensical” Christmas schedule, Brendan Rodgers has said.

Vardy started in City’s Carabao Cup success at Everton on Wednesday, which was the first of five games in 15 days for the club.

Although Vardy is expected to start when Leicester head to Manchester City on Saturday (5.30pm kick-off), Rodgers said there is “no chance” that his star striker will play every match over the next fortnight.

Rodgers is broadly in favour of keeping the tradition of festive football, but is displeased with the short turnaround between City’s huge Boxing Day clash against leaders Liverpool and their trip to West Ham on Saturday, December 28.

City have just 45 hours and 30 minutes between the games, the second shortest gap in the division behind Wolves (44 hours and 15 minutes). Liverpool have 68 hours and 30 minutes between their two games immediately after Christmas.

“The game is about money now, you can’t say it’s about the welfare of players,” said Rodgers.

“We’re playing at 8pm on the 26th, then on the 28th we are playing at 5.30pm. The players aren’t robots. It’s not a computer game. 

“There is no chance [Vardy can play the next four games]. You cannot risk the fitness of a player.

"You play on the 26th, you’re going to play a high-intensity game here against Liverpool, fighting for the result. In football, it’s the second day where the players suffer. You get that first day of recovery but it’s the second day where it’s really tough for a player. If we go along that route then the second day, instead of recovering, we’re kicking off at 5.30pm at West Ham. It’s just nonsense, really.

 

“Some [clubs] will be a bit more fortunate with recovery than others. It helps when you have a big deep squad. You want to get through it without the risk of injury and looking to perform at the highest level you can.

“Players will want to play in every single minute of every game – but they can’t. Hence we gave Youri [Tielemans] a free week where he didn’t have to travel [to Everton]. That’s what you’re having to do – managing the energy of the team.

“Yes, [the squad] understand where we’re at, this is where out squad really comes into it.”

Rodgers also believes the supporters will miss out because the energy-sapping nature of the fixture list will result in lower-quality football.

“The quality of the games won’t always be at the highest level, because of the intensity and energy that needs to go into them, especially for a high-energy team like us,” said Rodgers.

“You have to find a way of keeping the energy in the game and getting the results.

"It’s unfair on players and on supporters, they are paying hard-earned money and they want to see the best level of games.

“Over the Christmas period there’ll be complaints about the players’ efforts, when actually it’s about energy and the intensity at which the modern game is played.”

[ALC Fox]

Two games in under 48 hours is ridiculous. Rodgers also makes a great point that the demand for so much football in a short period of time actually comprises the quality of it, leaving fans short-changed and players at risk of harm.

 

There has to be a better way to manage the schedule.

[tylesta]

2 minutes ago, ALC Fox said:

Two games in under 48 hours is ridiculous. Rodgers also makes a great point that the demand for so much football in a short period of time actually comprises the quality of it, leaving fans short-changed and players at risk of harm.

 

There has to be a better way to manage the schedule.

Few years back I played wednesday night friday night Saturday afternoon Sunday morning the legs work on the Sunday match!

[PhillippaT]

On one hand I want to scoff at this since I'm a big tennis fan and know what their schedules and calendars are like, and, afterall, this is what having a squad is for...  But on the other, the schedule also needs to be fair for everyone, and it's not atm, either 

[ALC Fox]

1 minute ago, tylesta said:

Few years back I played wednesday night friday night Saturday afternoon Sunday morning the legs work on the Sunday match!

Probably not at Premier League level though eh? 

 

When I played at uni the pitches were often waterlogged (I went to uni in Wales) and so on occasion played two 90-minute games on consecutive days. I was fine, along with everyone else, but be assured I was also a drinker and I ate absolute sh it so the number of high-intensity runs I was making was frightening (not in a good way)!

[peach0000]

I was always under the impression that there was a Fifa rule that required at least two days (presumably 48 hours) between matches. I may be wrong but I remember this being a thing.

[HankMarvin]

Let him have his fair share of WKD, Skittles Vodka, Red Bull, and Port.

 

He will be fine, he is the elastic man 

[Out Foxed]

34 minutes ago, tylesta said:

Few years back I played wednesday night friday night Saturday afternoon Sunday morning the legs work on the Sunday match!

At bush league level. 
 

not even a remote comparison. 

[Lionator]

A game on Boxing Day and New Years Day is fine, I don't get the need for one in between in 2019.

[Bossman Blessed It]

It is ridiculous, undoubtedly and anyone who has played even one 5-aside game will understand why. However, modern footballers demand ridiculously high wages. The only way to pay for those wages is through the unbelievably lucrative TV deals that serve every club. The winter fixtures that other leagues don't have attract so many fans around the world, ergo, money and higher demand. Unfortunately, capitalism has and always will put profits before welfare - but players and their agents operate similarly these days, so we should all just sit back, pray Vardy doesn't get injured and enjoy the ride. 

[Nalis]

When people compare this to a day to day job its just naive.

 

We're not talking about being able to play football full stop, we're talking about professional athletes being able to play at the best of their ability and the human body needing time to recover regardless of that ability.

 

Of course they could play football for hours every day but the quality would not be the same as playing to a high level of 90 mins twice a week.

[Mike Oxlong]

As a spectator I’d love a proper winter  break and more games in the spring 

 

 

[red5]

Brendan Rodgers talks about it being about the money, but he and the players take all the money, they don't have to play the games if they don't want to but they will because they want the money.

[Tuna]

Only the big teams moan about schedules 

 

 

[Sunbury Fox]

It's not just the gap between the games on 26 and 28 December, that's a problem. It's the fact that we've got Man City and Liverpool to play in consecutive games just before as well. They'll be really draining, high intensity matches. Playing them one after the other in the busiest time of the season is a nightmare. Add on the fact that we also had a difficult EFL Cup game just before and you have to really worry that we could end up losing at West Ham. 

[Collymore]

I wouldn't be surprised if this is mind games from Brendan. 

 

We all know Vardy is a machine and he simply plays if available. 

 

It's good to keep the opposition guessing though...

[Hollyfox]

'The game is about money' now says Brendan after signing a new and improved contract 😄

 

He's right though and it's a ridiculous schedule, but he knows what he's doing and I'm sure we'll be OK 👍

[HybridFox]

I understand the boxing day and new year's day games (or maybe a day either side). I wouldn't want that tradition to change.

 

BUT really as a fan, are we that bothered if there isn't an extra game in between? If it ensures the recovery of our players, then I don't see what the problem is. It's the TV companies as usual who don't give a sh** about anyone.

[Izzy]

2 hours ago, PhillippaT said:

On one hand I want to scoff at this since I'm a big tennis fan and know what their schedules and calendars are like, and, afterall, this is what having a squad is for...  But on the other, the schedule also needs to be fair for everyone, and it's not atm, either 

I've been shot down on here before using the tennis comparison 

 

Anyone who goes to the gym will know that DOMS usually happen two days after a workout, so I can see Brendan's point that they'll all be fvcked for the West Ham game.

 

Saying that, how the hell do tennis players do it? Different sport and movement I know but I'm constantly amazed at their incredible level of fitness.

[coolhandfox]

The West Ham game is the issue for me, no need to play that Saturday! 

[weller54]

3 hours ago, tylesta said:

Few years back I played wednesday night friday night Saturday afternoon Sunday morning the legs work on the Sunday match!

You were lucky!.. that's nothing.....

We were made to play 3 times a day, 7 days a week and then had to still train for 8 hours on Christmas day..

Then, we had to go home and live in a hole in the road under a tarpaulin.

[Collymore]

5 minutes ago, Izzy said:

I've been shot down on here before using the tennis comparison 

 

Anyone who goes to the gym will know that DOMS usually happen two days after a workout, so I can see Brendan's point that they'll all be fvcked for the West Ham game.

 

Saying that, how the hell do tennis players do it? Different sport and movement I know but I'm constantly amazed at their incredible level of fitness.

The supreme athlete's world is different to mere mortals like ourselves.  I very much doubt they'll be getting DOMS, even your average person will stop getting them after doing the same exercise for a few weeks. 

 

i'd imagine it's more about a 5-10% reduction in performance and injury proneness, which is magnified massively in elite sport with their bodies are like formula 1 cars.

 

It should be the same for everyone though, but those who can rotate and not eat into that 5 - 10% have a massive advantage...

[NaijaFox]

3 hours ago, peach0000 said:

I was always under the impression that there was a Fifa rule that required at least two days (presumably 48 hours) between matches. I may be wrong but I remember this being a thing.

Isn’t that just for full international games?

[SouthStandUpperTier]

15 minutes ago, Izzy said:

I've been shot down on here before using the tennis comparison 

 

Anyone who goes to the gym will know that DOMS usually happen two days after a workout, so I can see Brendan's point that they'll all be fvcked for the West Ham game.

 

Saying that, how the hell do tennis players do it? Different sport and movement I know but I'm constantly amazed at their incredible level of fitness.

Footballers don't get to sit down every 2 minutes and nosh off a banana with some Robinson's barley water.

[Corky]

At no other time of the season do you play twice in 48 hours, the match should be on the Sunday or not at all.

 

Why the Christmas schedule appears to not adhere to this is beyond me.