Tottenham star Ben Davies calls for major change to football calendar amid player strike fears
BEN DAVIES is pleading for a three-week football blackout to curb player burnout.
Football’s calendar is set to burst with more group games in European competitions next season as well as Fifa’s expanded Club World Cup in 2025.
GettyWales vice-captain Ben Davies wants a block of three-weeks without football[/caption]
GettyExperienced Davies has been at Tottenham since his move from Swansea in 2014[/caption]
SunSport revealed last week PFA chief executive Maheta Molango’s threat that Prem stars are ready to strike over the increased workload.
And Spurs defender Davies, 31, believes there is a simple solution to help the issue of player welfare – and that’s a total 21-day break away from the sport.
When asked about the demands of football’s scheduling, Davies said: “It’s busy and you don’t feel like you get too much time off.
“The thing most players would want is one block of time that was just off.
“The rest of the time when the matches are on people are happy to churn out the games. People are happy to play.
“There is never a time where you get three weeks free to yourself where you are not training or preparing for the next season or you don’t have international games. That’s the difficult thing.
“It’s challenging. Not just physically but mentally. It’s sometimes non-stop.”
International players’ union FifPro and the PFA say stars need a minimum three-week break written into all pro deals.
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But players still train in their down time in preparation for the next competition, whether it’s international matches in the summer or the new season starting in August.
Davies has made almost 300 Premier League appearances with Swansea and Tottenham.
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The left-back has also won 86 caps with Wales and played at two Euros finals and a World Cup.
Davies hopes for change but the Dragons vice-captain does not believe it will happen.
Speaking to The Business of Sport podcast, Davies added: “The PFA is really doing some amazing work.
It’s challenging. Not just physically but mentally. It’s sometimes non-stop.
Ben Davies
“If they can come to an agreement with the competition holders and say, ‘Here’s our window, no training, no one is in their clubs’. That would be lovely.
“But I don’t hold out too much hope because we have conflicting competition holders with Fifa and Uefa each fighting for time, the Premier League is fighting for time.
“We have multiple competitions fighting for time and it’s the one thing we can’t get more of.
“That’s where we are at with it. It would be nice to see a bit of change but I don’t hold out too much hope.”
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