December 24, (THEWILL) – Pep Guardiola, manager of Manchester City, has told players in the English Premier League that they may have to consider going on strike unless their worries about the imminent demanding holiday schedule are addressed.
The EPL has long been accused of prioritising money from broadcasters over the safety of its players, with high-profile managers like Guardiola and Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp frequently criticising the hazards that come with such a hectic winter schedule.
The stress has been heightened by the recent COVID-19 rise, which has resulted in some teams receiving match postponements and others being compelled to go on, and Guardiola has conceded that a change is needed.
“The players and managers all together [need to] make a strike or do something because words alone are not going to be enough,” Guardiola said. “It is not going to be solved because for UEFA, FIFA, the Premier League, the broadcasters, business is more important than [player] welfare.
“Here, everyone decides for themselves. We talk about [player] welfare, [maybe] the associations of the players [should] say: ‘OK, we don’t play anymore until we solve that situation.’ Maybe then people will pay attention.”
Guardiola’s sentiments were shared by the Professional Footballers’ Association, which backed a strike if players’ welfare was not being prioritised.
PFA chief executive Maheta Molango said: “I’ve spoken with many senior players on this issue. I can tell you that it isn’t going away,” the Daily Mail. “Players don’t choose to speak out on issues like this without having given it a lot of thought.
“As their union, the PFA enables players to stand together. That unity gives them enormous strength.
“Now it’s up to those who run the game at all levels to begin to take this seriously so it’s an issue that can be addressed constructively with players at the heart of the conversation. That has to happen now. This isn’t something that can be kicked down the road again.”
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Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
