- Aston Villa face a busy schedule with domestic and European commitments
- McGinn expressed concerns about the lack of time for players to rest and recover
- LISTEN NOW: It’s All Kicking Off!, available wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes every Monday and Thursday
John McGinn joins the chorus of players who fear the busy football schedule will take its toll on their health.
The Aston Villa captain has echoed the words of Manchester City midfielder Rodri, who even raised the possibility of a players’ strike, and Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson, who have all raised the alarm about the number of games top players are being asked to play.
Villa will play at least eight games in the revamped Champions League, with manager Unai Emery challenging his side to finish in the Premier League’s top four for a second successive season. Emery has also vowed to take domestic trophies seriously as Villa bid to break a trophy drought that has lasted since 1996.
“We’re fortunate that we’re well paid for a job that we really love,” said McGinn, who is also a key Scotland man. “Nobody can escape that, but sometimes you have to switch off from the mental side of things.
‘In the beginning, when we first started playing in European competition, it was a matter of “Keep the games coming”. But it’s difficult to produce them when you play more than 70 games a season and then also international games.
Aston Villa star John McGinn joined players to voice their concerns over the packed calendar
Manchester City midfielder Rodri claimed players are close to a strike over fixtures
Aston Villa face a busy schedule with both domestic and European commitments
‘There’s not much time to rest, so they have to find a better balance and there are a lot of people who are trying to do that.
“People’s health is the most important thing and hopefully we can find some kind of happy balance. Football at this level brings great highs and huge lows.
‘At the end of the season you just want to say, ‘Hands up, I’m ready.’ But now the teams playing in the Club World Cup don’t have time for that anymore.’
Manchester City will compete in the competition, scheduled to start in July next year, and could play up to 73 games this season.
I think we are close to that [striking]’, said Rodri. ‘It’s easy to understand [why]. Ask any player and they would say the same thing. If it continues like this, there will come a point where we have no other option. That is something we are concerned about.