Latest news with #playerWelfare
Daily Mail
20 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Players' union accuse Gianni Infantino of overseeing 'MASSACRE' of player welfare from his 'ivory tower' as they launch scathing attack at Club World Cup
French players' union the UNFP has criticised the Club World Cup, with FIFA president Gianni Infantino accused of overseeing a 'massacre' of player welfare. The UNFP claimed that Infantino, watching on from his 'ivory tower', isn't concerned about the impact that the extra games will have on the physical and mental health of players. As reported by the Associated Press, the UNFP said in a statement: 'The incongruity of the situation is not lost on anyone, except, of course, Gianni Infantino and his flatterers. From the height of his ivory tower, which he parades around the world, the FIFA president is not bothered by the fate that the international calendar reserves for the game's leading players. 'His (Infantino's) Club World Cup proves, to the point of absurdity, that it is urgent to stop this massacre game. He flouts the physical and mental health of players for a few more dollars.' Infantino has received much criticism regarding the Club World Cup, with this year's edition expanded to include 32 teams. There have been widespread concerns about the impact that involvement in the tournament will have on players. The comments from UNFP follow on from former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp's criticisms of the Club World Cup. Klopp, who now works as the head of global soccer for Red Bull, described the tournament as 'the worst idea ever in football'. Speaking to German newspaper Welt am Sonntag, he said: 'The Club World Cup is the worst idea ever implemented in football. 'People who have never had anything to do with day-to-day business are coming up with ideas. 'I fear that next season players will suffer injuries they've never had before. If not, then it'll happen at the World Cup or afterwards.' Many of the leading clubs in world football, such as Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, are taking part in the competition, with concerns being raised about how players will be affected in the long term given their lack of rest this summer.
BBC News
2 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Club World Cup is football's 'worst idea ever'
Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp believes the Club World Cup is "the worst idea ever implemented in football" because of "serious fears" over player German is now Red Bull's head of global soccer and one of their teams, Red Bull Salzburg, qualified for this summer's tournament in the United has often complained about players' workload and fixture congestion, and days before the Club World Cup, global players' union Fifpro released a report saying players should be allowed at least a four-week off-season year's Club World Cup is the first to feature 32 teams and 48 games, and saw Salzburg knocked out in the group an exclusive interview with German newspaper Welt am Sonntag, Klopp talked about the expanded format and player development."It's all about the game and not the surrounding events - and that's why the Club World Cup is the worst idea ever implemented in football in this regard," he said."People who have never had or do not have anything to do with day-to-day business anymore are coming up with something."There is insane money for participating, but it's also not for every club."Last year it was the Copa [America] and the European Championship, this year it's the Club World Cup, and next year the World Cup. That means no real recovery for the players involved, neither physically nor mentally." In September, a week prior to suffering an ACL injury, Manchester City midfielder Rodri said players were close to going on strike because of the increase in games, while team-mate Manuel Akanji suggested he would have to retire aged 30 as a result of the lack of breaks in the October, Fifpro filed a legal complaint with the European Commission over what it said was Fifa's "abuse of dominance", specifically related to the Club World Cup, and Fifpro representatives met with Fifa over the fixture calendar in added: "I have serious fears, that players will suffer injuries they've never had before next season. If not next season, then it will happen at the World Cup or afterwards."We constantly expect the players to go into every game as if it were their last. We tell them that 70 or 75 times a year. But it can't go on like this."We have to make sure they have breaks, because if they don't get them, they won't be able to deliver top performances - and if they can't achieve that anymore, the entire product loses value."Club World Cup organiser Fifa has been approached for Fifa sources told BBC Sport earlier this month the protection of player welfare has been at the core of decision-making, pointing to initiatives such as a fund for players, additional substitutes in competitions and permanent concussion the competition has contributed to further congestion in the fixture calendar were firmly dismissed, with a source saying it was "not caused by the Club World Cup". Wirtz fee 'insane' but he can 'give something great' Klopp ended his nine-year spell as Liverpool boss last summer before his successor, Arne Slot, won the Premier League title in his first season in Reds have since spent big on recruitment, signing Germany midfielder Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen in a club-record £116m deal."There's no question about it, that's an insane sum," said Klopp. "We all agree that we're talking about a great player here."I know I once said that I'm out if we pay 100m euros for a player., external But the world keeps changing. That is how the market is. "My part of football will always remain the game itself, but if you want to play at the top level, you can't train all your players yourself. Sometimes you need to get hold [of players from] somewhere else."Asked if Wirtz, 22, will establish himself at Anfield, Klopp added: "Yes, although of course I don't know exactly which position Arne has in mind for Florian."He's an outstanding player who can give any club something great. Whether he'll make the reigning English champions even better remains to be seen." Could Klopp return to coaching? Klopp began leading Red Bull's global football strategy in January, when he said he will not coach one of their teams. The 58-year-old remains adamant he will not return to coaching, even on a temporary basis, such as when German club RB Leipzig sacked Marco Rose in March. Ole Werner was named his successor last week."My gut feeling tells me: 'No'," said Klopp. "I loved my job, but I don't miss anything."It's about my role at Red Bull, where I'm not the sword of Damocles hanging over our coaches, true to the motto: I'll tell you how it's done, and if you don't understand, I'll do it myself."That will never happen. Red Bull didn't bring me in as a potential coach. I'm supposed to pass on the experience I've gained as a head coach and manager, and help younger colleagues develop."
