Rodri’s cruciate ligament injury for Manchester City is not a clear sign that a busier schedule causes such injuries.
That’s according to journalist Jan Mulder, who, via HUMO, has also laughed at the idea of a player’s strike and how that may come about.
Rodri is set to miss the season with Manchester City after suffering a cruciate ligament injury in the 2-2 draw with Arsenal last month.
He’s now undergone surgery to try and fix the injury and will spend the season recovering, a major blow for the player and Manchester City.
The midfielder is being used as the poster boy for the current growing belief that football’s schedule is becoming too congested, with Rodri having spoken about it publically over the last few weeks as well.
He played 50 games for his club last season as well as featuring in the Euros for Spain and it has been suggested that huge fixture list has led to this big injury. Mulder, though, is having none of that.
“The direct link between torn cruciate ligaments and, for example, more than thirty-five matches has not been scientifically proven to my knowledge,” he said.
“Cruciate ligaments can also tear if you play one match a year, or if you take the baby out of the crib. On average, a Manchester City player plays around 40 full games, a number that any amateur can handle without running the risk of ending up in hospital with torn tendons.
“Nevertheless, the privileged few of the Premier League complain bitterly and, like Arsenal this year, fly to the US a few days before the start of the competition to play an exhibition match, for two million dollars.
“The ‘unbearable’ physical strain in the months that follow must then make way for the commercial interests of the club. The attitude of Guardiola and his associates is duplicitous.”
The notion of strikes is one that is growing among players across Europe, with various professionals from different leagues commenting on the issue in recent weeks.
There is undoubtedly a growing consensus among players that something needs to be done as authorities continue to add fixtures and competitions to an already packed schedule.
Nobody has offered any suggestion on how those strikes would happen or the manner in which they would happen, just that there is a possibility they could happen.
Mulder finds that interesting and has offered up his own idea, pretty much mocking the notion and how it could look.
“I have been dreaming of such a procession through the centre of Manchester for days: stars of United, City, Liverpool, Arsenal, Spurs and Villa chanting ‘Now! now!’, their self-painted banners read ‘Justice for the stars’, ‘FIFA and UEFA terror’ and ‘Enough is enough!’,” he added.
“The Premier League’s top earners march hand in hand through the city to the large square. At the front of the procession, we see a grim Pep Guardiola. Next to him Erik ten Hag tries to show the same intransigence. Arne Slot, Mikel Arteta, Julen Lopetegui and Eddie Howe. Behind the coaches march dozens of would-be victims, trying to control their serious faces. Only Jack Grealish giggles.
“After the speeches, when all the demonstrators have disappeared into the night, we see four more police officers on the empty square. They are bent over and seem to want to offer a helping hand to a star lying motionless on the street. It’s Harry Maguire from Manchester United. He’s glued to the asphalt.”
