Friday, at his pre Arsenal FC news conference, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola was asked about the ongoing debate over fixture congestion and the added workload that it puts on the players. His own midfielder, Rodri, made comments earlier this week that footballers could strike if they keep up the overscheduling.
Pep says that Rodri could really be on to something here. “I agree with you, maybe for the first time, that many voices are talking about the players,” Guardiola said.
Arsenal FC at Manchester City FYIs
Kickoff: Sun. Sept. 22, 4:30pm, Etihad Stadium
Team News: Arsenal FC Manchester City
Starting XI Predictions: Arsenal FC Manchester City
Transatlantic Passage: How the Premier League Redefined Soccer in America: LINK
Google Result Probability: Arsenal FC 21% Manchester City 53% Draw 26%
PL Standing: Arsenal FC 2nd, 10 pts Manchester City 1st, 12 pts
PL Form: Arsenal FC WWDW Manchester City WWWW
“I’m pretty sure that if something is going to change, it must come from the players. They are the only ones who can change something.
“The business can be without managers, sporting directors, media and owners, but without players you cannot play. The only ones to have the power to do it is them.
“And also I’m pretty busy they’ve done it to adjust the game, to make it more attractive. That’s the reason why many players around the world, not just Rodders [Rodri], are starting to talk. We’ll see.”
Hmmm…seems like this story is only just getting started here.
Manchester City Starting XI Prediction vs Arsenal FC
Ederson; Kyle Walker, Ruben Dias, Manuel Akanju, Josko Gvardiol; Ilkay Gundogan, Rodri; Savinho, Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden; Erling Haaland
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter.