International & Club Friendlies Affecting Our Players.

This week provided us with an unnecessary midweek interruption of international friendlies. Of course, there is nothing like an international friendly to pop out of nowhere while the season is in full swing. Time and time again we hear FIFA talking about its players playing too many games but do they have the players' best interests at heart or is it all about the money? It's time for FIFA, UEFA, clubs and the players to create a better more relaxed schedule for the sake of its players. This applies not only to international friendlies, but also to club friendlies.

Sport had a great headline on their website today - 20 horas de vuelo + 95 minutos de juego + intensa lluvia = 15 días de baja. That was posted with a photo of a tired Alexis. It basically translates to 20 hours of flying + 95 minutes of playing + intense rain = 15 days out with an injury. Alexis was injured yesterday and perhaps this midweek international calendar is to blame for forcing players to fly across the globe for a meaningless game for their country and then rushed back to play for their clubs. Alexis suffered an injury in yesterday's game that will see the forward miss almost two weeks of action.

Now, we can't be sure that the flying back and forth the Atlantic contributed to his injury. For all we know, this injury would have occurred even if he never played for Chile back on Wednesday. However, we already have seen the likes of Abidal, Coentrão, and Huntelaar pick up knocks on international duty for a meaningless friendly. The only purpose of this friendly was purely financial. So ultimately, clubs have to suffer in their quest to win the league just so countries play each other for a game that has nothing at stake.

We already saw Spain fly to England and Costa Rica back in November play to friendlies. Fans were not too pleased and many blamed FIFA for this. However, what was lost on people was the fact that the countries have the final say in scheduling a friendly. So yes, the RFEF could have easily decided not have a friendly this Wednesday against Venezuela and allowed its players some rest. Just like November however, they opted not to. You can blame FIFA and UEFA as much as you want but no one forced a gun to RFEF's head to schedule the games either.

That's why I can understand clubs being upset at losing their players to injuries from international duty action. This past Wednesday’s games are a perfect example of useless games with the sole exception of the World Cup qualifiers matches that took place in Asia and even that could be argued as poor scheduling. Clubs are heavily invested in winning both domestic and European football competitions and cannot afford to lose players to injuries. For those older fans like myself, the memories of Romario, Ronaldo and Rivaldo leaving Barcelona during the season to play for Brazil still lingers in our memories. Fortunately the idea of players missing league matches for international duty is a thing of the past but there is still much work to be done in fixing the international calendar.

However, clubs are also to blame for scheduling insane friendlies during the summer and winter break. Even our beloved FC Barcelona have been guilty of doing that. We just witnessed our club play friendlies in Croatia, Germany, and the US last summer with some players picking up knocks along the way. We also saw them play in far east Asia the summer before and there is talk that they could be playing in South America, India, China and Japan this upcoming summer.

Clubs also have a responsibility in watching out for their players and these excessive summer tours have to be cut down too. Keep it simple and scheduling friendlies in Spain and compete in friendly tournaments in Amsterdam or London. Sure, the club will feel it in their pockets but perhaps it’s for the best since most of these players going to be busy representing Spain in Euro 20120, Confederations Cup 2013 and the World Cup 2014. We are witnessing some of the greatest players to not only represent Barça, but also represent the sport of football in general. They need to be looked after and not pushed to their breaking point.

This is where players have to step up and make their voices heard. If they sit back and accept to be overused by both club and countries, then they will have to accept the consequences of their silence. Perhaps FIFPRO should actually make their voice heard and resolve this matter since the big boys can't seem to get it done.

This week provided us with an unnecessary midweek interruption of international friendlies. Of course, there is nothing like an international friendly to pop out of nowhere while the season is in full swing. Time and time again we hear FIFA talking about its players playing too many games but do they have the players' best interests at heart or is it all about the money? It's time for FIFA, UEFA, clubs and the players to create a better more relaxed schedule for the sake of its players. This applies not only to international friendlies, but also to club friendlies.

Sport had a great headline on their website today - 20 horas de vuelo + 95 minutos de juego + intensa lluvia = 15 días de baja. That was posted with a photo of a tired Alexis. It basically translates to 20 hours of flying + 95 minutes of playing + intense rain = 15 days out with an injury. Alexis was injured yesterday and perhaps this midweek international calendar is to blame for forcing players to fly across the globe for a meaningless game for their country and then rushed back to play for their clubs. Alexis suffered an injury in yesterday's game that will see the forward miss almost two weeks of action.

Now, we can't be sure that the flying back and forth the Atlantic contributed to his injury. For all we know, this injury would have occurred even if he never played for Chile back on Wednesday. However, we already have seen the likes of Abidal, Coentrão, and Huntelaar pick up knocks on international duty for a meaningless friendly. The only purpose of this friendly was purely financial. So ultimately, clubs have to suffer in their quest to win the league just so countries play each other for a game that has nothing at stake.

We already saw Spain fly to England and Costa Rica back in November to play friendlies. Fans were not too pleased and many blamed FIFA for this. However, what was lost on people was the fact that the countries have the final say in scheduling a friendly. So yes, the RFEF could have easily decided not have a friendly this Wednesday against Venezuela and allowed its players some rest. Just like November however, they opted not to. You can blame FIFA and UEFA as much as you want but no one forced a gun to RFEF's head to schedule the games either.

That's why I can understand clubs being upset at losing their players to injuries from international duty action. This past Wednesday’s games are a perfect example of useless games with the sole exception of the World Cup qualifiers matches that took place in Asia and even that could be argued as poor scheduling. Clubs are heavily invested in winning both domestic and European football competitions and cannot afford to lose players to injuries. For those older fans like myself, the memories of Romario, Ronaldo and Rivaldo leaving Barcelona during the season to play for Brazil still lingers in our memories. Fortunately the idea of players missing league matches for international duty is a thing of the past but there is still much work to be done in fixing the international calendar.

However, clubs are also to blame for scheduling insane friendlies during the summer and winter break. Even our beloved FC Barcelona have been guilty of doing that. We just witnessed our club play friendlies in Croatia, Germany, and the US last summer with some players picking up knocks along the way. We also saw them play in far east Asia the summer before and there is talk that they could be playing in South America, India, China and Japan this upcoming summer. 

Clubs also have a responsibility in watching out for their players and these excessive summer tours have to be cut down too. Keep it simple and scheduling friendlies in Spain and compete in friendly tournaments in Amsterdam or London. Sure, the club will feel it in their pockets but perhaps it’s for the best since most of these players going to be busy representing Spain in Euro 20120, Confederations Cup 2013 and the World Cup 2014. We are witnessing some of the greatest players to not only represent Barça, but also represent the sport of football in general. They need to be looked after and not pushed to their breaking point.

This is where players have to step up and make their voices heard. If they sit back and accept to be overused by both club and countries, then they will have to accept the consequences of their silence. Perhaps FIFPRO should actually make their voice heard and resolve this matter since the big boys can't seem to get it done.