Ronald Koeman has had a good start at Everton, despite their heavy 5-0 defeat against Chelsea last weekend.
Everton are currently seventh in the standings, and face Swansea City in their next match.
Ahead of the match, Everton boss Ronald Koeman has been speaking about the packed schedule now and during the Christmas period in England.
Koeman, in his column for Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, insists the chance of players getting injured increases during the busy Christmas period.
“Where in many countries there will soon be a winter break of a few weeks, we play on Boxing Day, December 30th and on January 2nd. And immediately after the tournament begins at the FA Cup. The chance of injury is greater in such busy football months.”
The Everton boss also expressed his displeasure over the schedule of their next match against Swansea.
He said: “I give you the example of my team at Everton. In my squad there are 16 internationals, so all away with national teams during this period. After the last game in Chelsea some remained in London to take a flight early the next morning to a distant destination.
“Few players travelled to South America, Mori plays for Argentina, Valencia plays at Ecuador, Yannick Bolasie and Idrissa Gueye play for Congo and Senegal in Africa. Next Thursday all players are traveling back to Liverpool.
“They also had a long flight behind and you cannot directly have training. So there remains a single day on Friday to train before we play the match on Saturday at three o’clock against Swansea.”
Koeman also added as a coach there is very little he can do about it, as FIFA rules clearly state clubs should release players for national duty.
It’s not for the first time a manager in the Premier League has complained about the tight schedule, but it’s part of the English game and Koeman should be well used to it.
