As we dawn on a new year some are thinking about resolutions we wont keep to, some are looking back at the year gone past reminiscing on the good and bad moments of the year, and some are still pondering on the same problems and issues that never seem to go away. As in the case for football it's the issue of burn out in English football. How is the England team suppose to compete with Germany's, Spain's and Brazil's of this world, where they have winter breaks and protect their players from burn out? How does the FA hierarchy expect their football team, the nations team to compete in summer tournaments after a 50-60 game season? They can't if Gregg Dyke and co stop being money hungry and more about the wealth fare of the players.
There was an article years ago when former France and Arsenal midfielder Patrick Viera, who won 3 Premiership and 3 FA Cups with the Gunners, complained during the 2001/2002 season, where he played 66 games before flying out to play for France in the World Cup in Japan. That he was too tired and couldn't feel his legs, causing a uproar in the media and with manager Arsene Wenger as he requested a break. As with the case of Raheem Sterling back in October this year, there is some cause for concern that players are being used as cash slaves to the billions the Premiership makes every year and not getting the rest they deserve. Hence why there's been a big shout for a winter break to be introduced in England but as I told my friend when we had this discussion months back. Mr Dyke wouldn't appose such things as it stops them making money. Burn out not only causes high fatigue amongst players also causes reoccurring and career threatening injuries as Micheal Owen is a clear example of this. In his debut season he played way to many games at his young age before he made a name for himself at the 1998 World Cup. With many pundits even himself cited that's the reason why he accumulated so many big injuries during his career.
Another solution which could help players from receiving less burn out is that the FA should scrap the League Cup competition. For years this competition has been irrelevant as many club mangers use this farse of a cup to play youngsters and give fringe players a chance. The competition has no use for the English game unless your Hull or Bradford city. No disrespect to those teams but with clubs in Europe and chasing the league where the core of the England team is based, I highly doubt that the Mickey Mouse cup is a priority. By scrapping the cup it shortens the season to maybe 40-50 games where players gain more rest. But with more games making more money I doubt players getting burned out is Gregg Dyke and the FA's concern as long as there's more 0's in the bank.
