The Breaking Point
Chelsea star Cole Palmer is one of five injured players who had to withdraw from Thomas Tuchel's England squad for the latest Nations League games. According to Professional Footballers' Association chief executive Maheta Molango, this is proof of a broken system that is demanding too much from top players.
Molango believes the current workload across Europe is unsustainable. He said players are paying the price for the expansion of major tournaments like the World Cup and the Club World Cup. He argued these decisions have nothing to do with the good of the game, and are instead about power.
A Victim of the Calendar
Speaking at a performance summit in London, Molango explained that Palmer would have played four consecutive summers in a row if he went to the World Cup. He warned that the Chelsea midfielder is missing matches because he is a victim of the calendar, which should trigger alarm bells.
The PFA boss pointed out that this is not just an English problem. Other European stars like Kai Havertz, Brian Brobbey and Kylian Mbappe have also missed international games recently. Molango said it is a defeat for football when fans cannot watch the stars they pay to see. He described the current system as 'sick' and 'ill', claiming it revolves around power consolidation and obtaining votes instead of player welfare.
The Fight for Rest
To fix this issue, Molango wants a mandatory six-week break for players every summer. This would include a three-week holiday followed by three weeks of retraining.
However, Premier League chief football officer Rebecca Caplehorn said this plan is not currently possible. She explained that while they support the idea conceptually, the current calendar has no room for a six-week gap. Caplehorn noted that it cannot happen without major regulatory changes to the football calendar. Until those changes are made, players will continue to face a heavy match schedule.
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