Andy Robertson joins Rodri in wanting ‘frustrating’ problem to be tackled

Andy Robertson has followed on from Rodri, Alisson and other fellow Premier League stars in voicing concerns over player burnout.

Amid a football calendar which is becoming increasingly bloated, a number of high-profile personalities have called out the near-incessant demands being placed upon the sport’s elite athletes.

As per The Mirror, the Liverpool left-back has said: “I don’t think the players are ever asked. I think that’s where our frustrations lie. We all love playing football. We love playing games. That’s what we work so hard towards.

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“As I speak, we’ve got a game in a few days at Anfield in the Champions League. It’s one of the best games to be involved in, but extra games get added. Extra tournaments get added, and I don’t think players get asked what their opinion of it is and how we feel about it.

“That’s where the frustration lies with us. These organisations just put on extra games and tournaments, and we’re never asked. It’s frustrating. It doesn’t seem we have much of a say in it. We just get put out there.”

Robertson added: “Just ask players or managers, it’s always wise to ask the people who can feel it, week-to-week instead of people sitting in offices.”

The increasing prevalence of high-profile players raising concerns over the workload being demanded of elite footballers is something that the sport’s decision makers can no longer ignore.

Even before the expansion of the Champions League and FIFA World Cup and introduction of the Club World Cup, those such as Robertson, Alisson and Rodri who’ve been operating at the peak of the game for several years have been flogged to near-exhaustion between various club and international commitments.

It’s no coincidence that lengthy muscle injuries have become more common in recent years – indeed, the Manchester City midfielder has now been ruled out for the rest of this season, a loss which may indirectly aid Liverpool’s trophy chances but isn’t what anyone with the best interests of the sport at heart wants to see.

Of all the stakeholders involved in football, players are arguably the most important group along with the fans who commit so much of their livelihoods to actively supporting their team of choice.

As Robertson says, the authorities must listen to those whose actions on the pitch draw millions of people worldwide to stadia, pubs and living room TVs every single week, rather than simply expanding existing tournaments or creating new ones in pursuit of the almighty dollar.

If the demands being imposed on players keep growing, the quality of the product will inevitably suffer, and the sport will be poorer as a result. When those who’ve sacrificed so much to make it to the top of the game are shouting stop, it’s high time to take heed.

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