Tottenham will try to ‘take advantage’ of new FA rules with post-season friendlies set to be banned
Tottenham and other Premier League clubs will find a way around possible new FA rules banning post-season friendlies, according to Dan Plumley.
Reports last month (Football London, 24 April) suggest the FA plan to put a stop to the friendlies, which several Premier League clubs have made a regular occurrence in recent seasons, to protect players.
Spurs have arranged a post-season game against fellow top-flight side Newcastle in Australia for later this month, and football finance expert Plumley believes if the FA push ahead with their plan to ban the games in the future, clubs will find another way to do them.
“I think clubs will always try to find a way regardless,” he exclusively told Tottenham News.
“Of course, it’s heightened in a Euros season because the England national team and the FA will want their players, they won’t want to run the risk of losing anybody in a friendly game that’s taking place after the season finishes with a Euros coming up, so I can understand the FA’s position on that.
“I suppose long-term if they ban post-season friendlies, where do you draw the line? In a non-Euro summer as well, where do we draw the line between post-season and pre-season, I think clubs will find a way to squeeze that.
“Whether they fly out to mid-winter training camps, I know the winter break is going to be scrapped for a little bit, but there’ll still be gaps in the calendar and I think player consideration is important, but however clubs can find a way I still think they will try to.
“I guess this one is kind of stopping this for now, but I think you’ll just see it manifest itself in other ways as they move through into a different calendar year or different cycle where no Euros or no World Cup, and you’ll see clubs trying to take advantage in different ways.”
Tottenham must decide if money or player welfare is more important
It’s going to be a busy summer for several Tottenham players, and after a busy season already and an even busier campaign next season something has to give.
Spurs will have many players at international tournaments this summer with Copa America and Euro 2024 taking place, while the club will be competing in Europe next season also.
If the FA are going to ban the games it’s for a reason, and it’s probably because players have already begun fighting back at the new schedule from next season onwards.
So if Spurs try to find a way around the new rules, that would suggest that they feel the potential income of the games is greater than the welfare and health of their players.
In an ideal world, a balance will be found so the club can continue to increase their income and add revenue streams, while also keeping the players happy and healthy for when it matters.
In other Tottenham news, Ange Postecoglou can’t ignore a shocker of a performance from this 0% ace against Burnley.
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