A podcast I listen to were discussing an interesting topic to try and address player burnout due to the ever expanding football calendar with the nations league, European competition expansion and club world cup.
The introduction of a minutes cap for leagues. A cap of 3,000 minutes (roughly 33 full games) per player in the Premier league or 3,500 (roughly 39 full games) in the efl.
I think it would make for some interesting tactical decisions as well as allow for more youth exposure to first team football.
There are drawbacks of course but I'd be in favour on balance.
Everbluesince92A podcast I listen to were discussing an interesting topic to try and address player burnout due to the ever expanding football calendar with the nations league, European competition expansion and club world cup.
The introduction of a minutes cap for leagues. A cap of 3,000 minutes (roughly 33 full games) per player in the Premier league or 3,500 (roughly 39 full games) in the efl.
I think it would make for some interesting tactical decisions as well as allow for more youth exposure to first team football.
There are drawbacks of course but I'd be in favour on balance.
Interestingly the Financial Times a couple of months ago had an article about player burnout.
Summary on Bluesky here - essentially players aren't playing more but the intensity they play at has increased dramatically.
So a cap may not actually solve anything if managers keep pushing up intensity.
[bsky.app]
Could kill international football - bet there would be a huge jump in players dropping out due to 'injury' to avoid using game time. Plus you'd get to WCs etc and all the players would by on their cap limit.
Or you exclude internationals but that would make it a bit of a farce.
Clubs have huge squads these days along with swathes of medical staff. They can manage player load relatively easily without the authorities introducing arbitrary restrictions.
It's a no from me.
Surely it's just a job for managers to erm...manage?
It was raised as though players should do it through their union.
Managers are going to pick players when possibly its better that the player has a rest. Many blues fans said that Paik and Iwata needed rests at points last season.
Jude for example has played nearly 5,000 minutes excluding friendlies in 2024/25. He will have 2 weeks off then they kick off the new season 15th August in what is a World Cup (played across 3,000 miles in very hot humid conditions) year so it could be another 5,000 minute season in 2025/26.
Does he need protecting from himself a little bit to prolong his career?
I do agree re the intensity argument. I think this is where things like the CWC and some of the pre-season tours like the PL Summer Series cause burnout. Rather than a comfortable friendly against Oxford, elite teams are playing high-value games against Barca and Real.
Interesting that Rodri came off injured in Man City's last game at the CWC. Could be nothing but if he's missing for the start of the season, surely raises some questions. Until his injury, I believe he'd played more games than any other footballer.
Teams have squads. It’s upto them to manage minutes or get muscle related injuries. Musiala’s is a shocker today. But the more you play the greater the chance of injury. Bayern have earnt enough to replace him.
That’s the reality