England captain Harry Kane has voiced his frustration, stating that players’ concerns regarding their hectic schedules are largely ignored.
The upcoming international break is set to take place from June 2 to June 10, immediately following the conclusion of the Premier League season on May 25 and the Champions League final on May 31.
Kane’s club, Bayern Munich, is also scheduled to compete in the newly expanded FIFA Club World Cup from June 15 to July 13. This could leave the striker without a significant period of rest during the summer.
Despite the demanding schedule, the 31-year-old remains committed to playing as much as possible in pursuit of trophies.
“I don’t think the players are listened to that much, if I’m totally honest,” Kane admitted. “But also everyone wants their piece, their tournament, their prize, and the players are kind of the people who have to get on with it.
“But it is what it is. I love playing football, so I’m never going to complain about playing football.
“I think if you manage it well, with your coaches and your manager and your clubs, there are ways of getting more rest in certain moments.
“But it’s not an easy question, it’s not an easy situation. I think there could be a balance from both sides, but we’d have to see how that pans out.”
Kane’s remarks are in line with previous concerns raised by Liverpool’s Brazilian goalkeeper Alisson Becker last September. Similarly, Manchester City’s Swiss defender Manuel Akanji, now 29, has hinted that he might consider early retirement due to the relentless fixture congestion.
The Professional Footballers’ Association also took a stand against FIFA last summer, joining a legal case challenging the “overloaded and unworkable” football calendar.
Kane continued his impressive international record by netting his 71st goal for England in their 3-0 World Cup qualifying win over Latvia on Monday. He is now just 20 appearances away from breaking Peter Shilton’s all-time England cap record of 125.
England’s triumph over Latvia marked a second successive victory for new head coach Thomas Tuchel, following their 2-0 win against Albania on Friday.
Tuchel’s squad will regroup in June for their next World Cup qualifier against Andorra, followed by a friendly against Senegal. The German coach has suggested that FIFA should reconsider the timing of the international window.
“I am not so concerned about the amount of games the players play in total,” Tuchel explained. “I am more concerned that they never have a real break of three to four weeks.”
“Maybe they have three weeks holiday but maybe after five days they play another competition. That’s the problem.
“They should have a minimum three or three-and-a-half weeks of preparation, then it would be better for everyone.
“In general, being a club coach or international coach, the Fifa June window is, I think, debatable if this makes sense.”
However, he added, “I think it would be Fifa to align the calendar and maybe find a gap where we could put this window somewhere else, to open the window for the better of the players.”
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