The Premier League is big news in Belgium, largely because so many footballers from the country do so well in the competition.
England’s top flight has played a big part in Belgium climbing so high on the football tree, but there’s also drawbacks. The level of competition is much tougher than many leagues, and the lack of a winter break provides less opportunity for a good rest.
Tottenham defender Toby Alderweireld believes this must be factored into Belgium’s planning for the World Cup. With Belgium already qualified for the tournament in Russia, Alderweireld believes things will be different this time around.
HLN quote the Tottenham player as saying: “We’ll take it a lot differently than in the past in the run up to the World Cup. Maybe we have to put some more rest between the end of the league and the preparations for the World Cup.
“The coach has also worked in the Premier League, so he has experience enough to tackle the preparation as well as possible. Men like Vinnie (Kompany), Jan (Vertonghen), Eden (Hazard) and I know what we’re talking about.”
Alderweireld’s advice comes in the same week a report about Premier League stars and lack of international success has been spreading around the Belgian media.
Tuesday’s edition of Het Nieuwsblad is just one Belgian media outlet pushing the figures, which show the Premier League doesn’t produce many world champions. Of course, there’s a lot of other factors, but it’s a popular theme right now in Belgium.
Tottenham’s Alderweireld will hope it helps convince Roberto Martinez to grant his players a longer holiday at the end of the season.
