For some, the so-called national team break is over, the debate that has been going on for as long as I can remember continues.. And the first thing I want to say is the obvious that there are more and more parties. The calendar is absolutely saturated and should be better organized. The matches are played in the middle of normal championships – which is more of the same – and things like Gavi, Camavinga, Mikel Oyarzabal can happen… Minute saturation could be a factor, but let’s not stop there. Going out into the field, even in training, involves risks. Therefore, we have to accept it, but, at the same time, we have to try to urgently change the model. An agreement between clubs, federations and players’ unions must be studied to try to minimize risks. And yet injuries exist and will exist. An injury also has a component of misfortune that is uncontrollable, I am convinced.
On the other hand, we will grow old. I think about it and I’ve written it many times, we have to increase the work, the responsibility and the minutes of competition depending on the physique. Not so much defining a minimum or maximum age, but rather based on the maturity of each of the athletes. Yes, now football players are athletes who play ball. Not cropped projections, but neither have precipitated or saturated projections. And in this balance there are many factors: each person’s character, luck and a series of absolutely unpredictable situations that the coaching staff, doctors and the players themselves must measure. Who, on the other hand, always wants to play. It’s a somewhat popular and demagical debate. It cannot be guaranteed that there will be no injuries and we have to live with this within a reasonable calendar, coaches, competitions, etc.
It must also be taken into account that, precisely, the number of games – including pre-seasons – is what allows younger players to put themselves in the showcase. Therefore, it is also an opportunity for everyone. That’s why I think we also have to look at the regulations, that there are more than five changes per game, for example, that the squads have a greater number of chips, that the coaches are sometimes generous by dosing more… In short, a deep and detailed study must be made of the circumstances that could lead to the imaginative regulation of a new model, in this sense, of a sport as old as football. But let’s keep in mind that for there to be a final for something there must be previous rounds. And for football to be what it is, many clubs and countries have to play. For there to be interesting finals, it is necessary that many teams and selections have participated. The question is: always with the same players? It shouldn’t be like this. That is why I dare to say that the time for reasonable, consensual and forward-looking changes is approaching.
I don’t have the solution. I believe that there is no perfect model that prevents injuries, but rather with the best materials, fields, balls, facilities, food, physical and mental care, a regulation that increasingly sanctions toughness, specialized doctors and statistics that perfectly x-ray each player . , there is an ideal situation to try to minimize risks. Injuries have happened, happen and will happen. The current intensity is brutal – and no veteran should be angry – so we will have to regulate, with science, moderation and due care, to mitigate the risk, knowing in advance that the injuries will never disappear.. Demand is maximum. We will all try to reduce the percentage with reasonable measures. The rest is just talking the talk. In truth. We are all partly right, but this consists of looking for solutions and not imposing theses. Let’s take a little of each and make the best combination possible to protect our athletes. And the younger they are, the more care and common sense, in addition to science, we must put on the table. It seems that finding someone to blame is easier, but the important thing for me is to find a path to solutions.
