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Selfish Guardiola & Klopp Moaning Rightfully Falls on FA’s Deaf Ears

Last Updated September 23, 2020 1:31 PM
Aubrey Hansen
Last Updated September 23, 2020 1:31 PM
  • Both Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola have complained about the FA Cup schedule.
  • The Liverpool boss called the congested fixture list “a crime.”
  • Guardiola moaned that football chiefs “don’t care.”

Both Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp criticized the English Football Association on the congested fixture schedule  that Manchester City and Liverpool have had to face of late. This, despite the FA recently introducing a winter break , allowing clubs some time off in February.

Jurgen Klopp believes the FA Cup schedule is ‘a crime’

The fixtures played over Christmas in England are something of a tradition. Football fans the world over look forward to this part of the schedule as games come thick and fast.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp isn’t a fan, although he’s never complained about the television money that goes toward putting £15 million in his bank account  every year.

It’s absolutely not OK. And we still have it. None of the managers have a problem with matches on Boxing Day, but playing the 26th and 28th is a crime.

As things stand, Liverpool has a first-team squad of 28 players. They have another ten squad members loaned out to other clubs. Klopp could field two completely different teams at once and still have six players in reserve.

Manchester City isn’t far behind, with 26 players available for selection. Again, more than enough for two entirely different starting eleven at one time.

Has neither of these guys heard of rotation? I always thought that was the purpose of having a squad.

It’s difficult for the average football fan to feel sorry for Pep Guardiola

Listening to overpaid football managers and players complain about having to play too much football over the holidays is ridiculous.

There are people in the crowd at games who have to work ten-hour shifts during the holidays.

Being paid millions of pounds to play football for 90 minutes and train for a few hours every day is a privilege. They have absolutely nothing to moan about.

That’s especially true since the FA already sacrificed fifth-round Cup replays to cut down on the amount of football that Klopp or Guardiola’s precious and overworked players must endure.

Clubs less fortunate than Manchester City and Liverpool rely on cup fixtures for income

The English FA has stood its ground on refusing to scrap early-round fixtures in the cups, and rightfully so.

Smaller clubs rely on these games for much-needed income. The close to £1 million that clubs can earn when gate revenue is split 50/50 is a godsend for lower league teams.

Sure, that may be a fraction of what one Liverpool or City player earns in a few months, but it can be game-changing to a club in League One or Two.

oxford ufc tweet
Source: Twitter 

“The solution is to make a year of 400 days,” whined Guardiola. “Then we can book another competition.”

The truth is, if Premier League clubs wish to continue earning the big bucks, they have to dance to the TV company’s tune.