Andy Robertson has joined the number of high-profile names criticising the ongoing expansion of football’s fixture list, urging authorities to ask players first.
It is a growing concern among players that the powers that be, including FIFA, continue to add competitions to their calendar without regard for their health.
Alisson has been one of those to criticise the expansion of the Champions League to a new 36-team format with eight league games, saying last month: “Nobody asks the players what they think about adding more games, so maybe our opinion doesn’t matter.”
He has been joined by the likes of Rodri, Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva and Son Heung-min in voicing frustration at how players are treated.
Robertson is the latest to do so, telling reporters including The Athletic‘s Gregg Evans that “people sitting in offices” should consult players before making such decisions.
“I don’t think the players are ever asked, that’s where our frustrations lie,” he explained.
“We all love playing football. We love playing games. That’s what we work so hard towards.
“But extra games get added, extra tournaments get added and I just don’t think players get asked what their opinion of it is and how we feel about it.”
He added: “We’ll keep doing it, we’ve got no real option. We’ll let other people discuss it and try to help us out.
“When games are put in front of us, when you are in the changing room you don’t think about it. You get excited by it. You just go out and play your heart out and that’s all we can do.
“But, in the future, I think it would be best to get the players together and ask their opinion as well.
“There are a lot of experienced professionals, captains, who can have a say on these things. They are never asked.
“It’s always wise to ask the people who can feel it, week-to-week, instead of people sitting in offices.”
There was a sense of foreboding as Rodri, Alisson and Son all picked up injuries soon after criticising the fixture pile-up – the Man City midfielder is out for the season with an ACL tear.
But Robertson has at least allayed any fears over his fitness after being forced off late on in Liverpool’s 2-1 win over Wolves following a kick to the ankle.
The left-back insisted he was “all good,” before praising the revamped medical staff under Arne Slot, saying: “So far, so good. We don’t leave any stone unturned.”
“We always want to put on a show for the fans. We always want people to get value for money,” Robertson insisted.
“We know how important fans are to football but when lads are getting overworked or whatever, sometimes you can’t do that.”
