Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp lambasts Premier League scheduling while defending West Ham United manager David Moyes for squad rotation
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp chastised officials responsible for Premier League schedules while defending West Ham United manager David Moyes. Moyes received scrutiny for rotating squad at the Carabao Cup as the Reds won the game 5-1 in midweek.
In an early Premier League kickoff on Saturday, Manchester United will face West Ham. Klopp has faced similar problems as Liverpool plays their fifth mid-day kick-off of the season against Brentford in mid-February.
Klopp has long complained about early kick-off slots after midweek games or after the international break, citing them as unfair. The Reds boss has maintained a strong stance on the issue, defending other clubs over this subject.
The 56-year-old has received unnecessary criticism and trolling from rival fans on social media despite making a lot of sense. The irrational retorts usually come from those who are unable to understand that his solutions help every club, bringing fairness.
Klopp told the reporters (h/t Liverpool FC) that early kick-off slot is unfair for a club that played in midweek. He said:
“I heard we play again at 12.30 against Brentford. It’s not a problem at all! I never had a problem with the 12.30pm if we don’t play on Wednesday night. I saw that West Ham plays the 12.30 game tomorrow. You have to ask the question: is that right? You’re playing a competition where each team should get kind of the same [treatment]. West Ham had exactly the same as us – Thursday, Sunday, Wednesday, Saturday 12.30pm.”
The Liverpool boss went on to defend Moyes over the criticism he faced for using squad rotation around such scheduling. He said:
“How dare you ask David Moyes that question: ‘Are you happy with your team selection?’ We play at 5.30pm tomorrow against Arsenal, so that means the boys sleep longer. Breakfast, take it when you get it and they get up at 7.30am and at 9am they throw in the noodles! You tell me that’s fair? How is that fair? Why can’t they look at that, whoever is doing it? How can you have the idea after that week to give them a 12.30? It’s nothing to do with us. For us, put our shirt away and just think about general football problems.”
Klopp on busy fixture list: “How is that fair? Why can’t they look at that, whoever is doing it?”.
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) December 22, 2023
“For once, put your shirt away and just think about general football problems. Somebody has to change”.
“They say: Well yes but you signed the [broadcasting] contract. It has… pic.twitter.com/BDQejwrFha
The situation reeks of bias towards certain clubs while putting other clubs in a position to make compromises. Club managers have to balance the health of their players according to the importance of the fixtures and competitions.
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BBC reported a 15% increase in injuries in the Premier League compared to the last four campaigns. The conversation about changes in the formats of European competitions threatens players with more fixtures that can decrease recovery time.
Liverpool have played twice as much as second-placed Tottenham Hotspur in the early kick-offs post-international break ranks since the 2016-17 season. Irrespective of what anyone says, there needs to be a thorough change in the unfair treatment of certain clubs. Klopp remains an advocate for a healthy change and the Kopites are proud of him for sticking to his guns.
