by Cool Hand Luke » Sat Sep 10, 2005 12:56 pm
I think we do have too many games, we have played 6 Champions League qualifiers, the Super Cup, and we will go to the World Club Championship in December. The Champions League qualifiers mean that we have started our competitive season way to early, the Super Cup means that we will have fixture congestion further down the road, and the World Club Championship will mean that we will have a draining trip and further fixture congestion.
Anyone who says that this is rubbish, and they get paid loads and should play all the time simply hasn’t played competitive football at any level.
In my mind there is no doubt that since the expansion of the Champions League from 16 teams to 32, the quality of top football has suffered, top players at top clubs are playing twice a week pretty much for the whole season, it is a rarity for them to have 2 weekend games that are not sandwiched with something in midweek whether it be internationals, Europe, a league game or a domestic cup. On the whole I think too much football is played and thus the quality at the top end has suffered.
I've said this so many times before, but when you only have 2 days rest in between games it takes an effect on your body and you don’t perform as well, 3 days in between games is sufficient time to recover, so I think that when we only have 2 days in between games we should use more of the squad.
At the end of the day, like Parry said, "It's the price of success". It's part of football and we just need to get on with it, make the best possible use of the whole squad and just work within the conditions that we have.
i think yes what about you