Football: Soccer-O’Neil, Klopp raise concerns over crammed Christmas schedule

(Reuters) – Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Gary O’Neil has joined a long list of Premier League managers complaining about the packed football schedule, including three games in six days for his side with a rare Christmas Eve fixture.

While most European leagues are on a break over the year-end period, Wolves are gearing up for a particularly busy week, even by PL standards.

“Most teams have eight days to play their three games and ours has been trimmed at either end so just six days,” O’Neil told reporters on Friday.

“We’ve still got a few injury issues with a squad not overly big, so trying to plan minutes and who might play what is probably not the best way to do it with this group,” he said. “We’ll take every game as it comes.”

After hosting Chelsea, 13th-placed Wolves visit Brentford and then welcome Everton, all before the year is out.

“We’ll see where we end up with the lads fatigue-wise and injury-wise, and then move into Brentford and see where we are again,” O’Neil said.

The Premier League said there would be no Christmas Eve matches next season when it announced the 2024-25 fixture dates on Friday.

But the crammed schedule and its impact on player welfare is a serious concern for managers such as Liverpool’s Juergen Klopp.

“Yesterday we were out for recovery and a little bit of training,” Klopp said on Friday, reeling off the team’s routine in reverse.

“We played Wednesday. Tuesday shorter than normal session, set pieces and tactical stuff, 35 minutes. Monday recovery. Sunday game. Saturday, MD (matchday) minus one, 35 minutes max. Friday recovery. Thursday game.”

Liverpool face leaders Arsenal on Saturday, followed by a Tuesday fixture at Burnley.

“I saw that West Ham play (at) 12:30 tomorrow. You have to ask the question, is that right? You’re playing a competition where each team should get the same treatment,” Klopp said.

“We play at 5:30 pm tomorrow, that means the boys sleep longer. West Ham get up at 7:30 and at 9 they throw in the noodles! How is that fair? Why can’t they look at that, whoever is doing it?

“For once, put your (club) shirt away and just think about general football problems. Somebody has to change,” he added.

(Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in Bengaluru; Editing by Hugh Lawson)