Congested fixture lists and player welfare issues continue to be a huge topic of concern across both the men’s and women’s game, with one of the most recent disruptions being the postponement of an eagerly anticipated fixture between Chelsea and Manchester United in the Women’s Super League.
With a week’s notice, the match was called off due to a conflict with Bompastor’s Champions League commitments, with the Blues scheduled to face Real Madrid in the European competition just 2 days after their clash with the 2024 FA Cup Winners.
Originally set to be played on the 6th of October, a new date is yet to be announced for the fixture, with the situation having had extensive impacts on supporters who have reported non-refundable travel and accommodation costs.
This is somewhat ridiculous given that Manchester United's Conti Cup tie last Wednesday could quite easily have been moved to the day before.
The focus, however, is on the players’ physical and mental well-being, which Chelsea rightfully see as their priority, and it’s not just in the women’s game where these issues are arising.
Manchester City’s Rodri has also been quite vocal on the matter, and his recent ACL injury which sidelines him for the rest of the season is perhaps a testament to the issues raised.
Rodri featured in 63 games for club and country last season, winning the Premier League and the European Championship within the space of two months. In this, he only had two significant rest periods across the calendar.
In the league, he was joint second for games started, one behind Andre Onana, and eighth for the number of minutes played.
Arsenal’s Timber has recently added to Rodri’s comments, offering total agreement to the issues raised, with the Manchester City man stating that players have been close to striking over fixture concerns. Liverpool goalkeeper Allison had also raised similar concerns before suffering a hamstring injury in his side's 1 - 0 win over Crystal Palace on Saturday.
A season-long injury such as Rodri’s alludes to the fact that such a congested calendar leads to an increased risk of injuries due to insufficient recovery time. The lack of time to recover hinders a player’s ability to deal with the physical demands of the following games, and the increased fatigue from a buildup of fixtures sees the injury list continue to grow.
Disrupted sleep patterns become part of the hindered recovery as fixtures often see players travel overseas and adjust to different time zones. This negative impact on the quality and quantity of sleep is also a contributing factor to fatigue that can cause performance decline and muscle injuries.
It is also important to consider the mental effects of such a congested fixture list, as well as the physical ones. A relentless cycle of training and matches can leave insufficient time for players to mentally recharge, with the pressure of reaching performance standards so regularly potentially leading to increased stress.
Clubs can, to a certain level, reduce the workflow of their players by implementing strategies such as squad rotations, if the depth in the current squad and the perceived threat of the opposition allows for it, and can also give the highest standards of recovery techniques, with personalised strategies.
However, perhaps governing bodies and leagues need to play more of a part in scheduling breaks that are vital for recovery, and managing the sports calendar so that players have enough time to recover, train, and mentally prepare between fixtures.
This being said, with a number of different domestic competitions across the year, as well as international breaks and tournaments where they fit in, it is difficult to see a solution to the calendar congestion with such fixtures all needing to be played across the calendar, and the removal of a competition not being a plausible action.
Comments