Liverpool FC

Klopp calls for end to fixture congestion

Jurgen Klopp has called on football authorities to end fixture pile-ups.

The Liverpool manager raised the point at the tail end of a gruelling Christmas schedule in which his side played a game every three days.

Klopp is expected to rotate his starting line-up for Sunday’s FA Cup third round clash with Everton in efforts to avoid any unnecessary burnout.

But he also warned that the game’s respective administrators need to find a common ground to avoid players across the board from being over-worked.

He said: “I don’t think the Premier League, FA or Football League are in any doubt of my opinion.

“I just do that not because of me but because I think someone has to speak for the players.

“The boys last night [against Sheffield United] ran 13 kilometres – 13km to win a Premier League game – and I cannot tell them ‘come on, try to run 11km so you will be fine for the next game’.

“But the schedule is the schedule. If you have a good friend and you see him twice a year, brilliant. Best time of your life.

“If you see him every day you think after five days, ‘what the heck?’.

“But what we do is throw football at the people. How many games were on Boxing Day? There were maybe some men, probably, who watched all of them live.

“I don’t think that’s good for their relationship. It’s not good for mine and I already watch a lot of football!

“People say ‘yeah, we only get the money we get because of the number of games’. I don’t see that. Like always in life it is about quality not quantity.

“Yes, without the money it doesn’t work but without the players it doesn’t work as well.”

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Klopp implored all relevant parties, including match broadcasters, to take part in sensible discussions which he also offered to volunteer if time permitted.

“The solution is to bring all these people together including the TV [companies], and try to think one time in all these negotiations about the players,” he added.

“Other people are sitting there and they are not football people. We need to talk with football people, I think there is a solution possible.

“And no-one will miss a game and think ‘oh, why cannot I watch a football game today?’. There will be enough football, we accept that 100 per cent.

“We love this game but in the end we have to make sure that we can all come through and in the end the best team wins and not the most lucky with injuries.

“Just start talking and I am pretty sure there is a solution possible. And if you need me in the discussion I am pretty much there – if I can find time in between the games!”