The prospect of further changes to cup competitions, specifically the World Cup and the Champions League, adding even more matches to an already packed schedule, will no doubt create some unease among football’s top managers.
Jurgen Klopp will certainly be no exception to that rule if FIFA, as Henry Winter has proposed on Twitter, opts to retain four-team groups and potentially extend the tournament to accommodate everything.
Maintaining the #FIFAWorldCup four-team groups is vital… even if it means extending the tournament’s duration (sorry, clubs).
Totally agree with this ???? https://t.co/ZgF26yzGaB
— Henry Winter (@henrywinter) December 2, 2022
Darwin Núñez’s Uruguay have yet to confirm their place in the round of 16 and need all three points from their next clash with Ghana to have any hope of achieving that goal.
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While we can absolutely appreciate the importance of protecting the integrity of a competition like the World Cup, we can also understand why it will make managers like our German tactician nervous.
The 55-year-old has been a strong supporter of the idea of better player safety and well-being and an active critic of the match schedule, often inviting ridicule for his efforts.
The reality remains that if we do not address the potential impact on club football, the quality of the sport will decline, whether due to lack of training time, injury or fatigue.
The protection of international football, however special, should not be at the expense of the national team.
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