PFA chief Molango warns fans are short-changed by ‘shattered’ stars
PFA chief executive Maheta Molango has warned that football fans are being short-changed because elite players are too “shattered” to perform at their peak.
The cost of congestion
Molango believes the current saturation of the football calendar is forcing top-level athletes to regulate their physical exertion.
Speaking at the Financial Times Business of Football Summit, the union leader called for a “fundamental rethink” of how the schedule is structured.
He argued that competition organisers must understand that less is often more when it comes to the quality of the product.
“It’s really important that we discover the value of scarcity,” Molango said.
The PFA boss drew a direct comparison with the NFL, which generates vast revenue despite a significantly shorter season.
“The NFL plays 17 games, they make more than 10 billion. Christmas is nice because it’s not every Tuesday.”
Palmer cited as burnout risk
Chelsea forward Cole Palmer was highlighted as a prime example of a young talent facing an unsustainable workload.
The England international has been managed carefully by the Blues this season, making 19 club appearances.
However, Molango fears the 21-year-old faces the prospect of three consecutive summers without a substantial break due to international commitments.
“People say ‘he’s a millionaire’ – yes he is, but it doesn’t give him an extra lung or an extra leg. I want to see Cole Palmer on the pitch because he’s the one who makes me dream.”
Fans paying for ’70 per cent’
Molango recalled visiting Chelsea’s training ground following the Club World Cup, describing the squad as looking physically “shattered”.
He insisted that ticket holders are the ultimate losers in the current climate of fixture congestion.
“The reality is that the fans pay right now 100 per cent of the ticket, and a lot of time they get 70 per cent, if they are lucky, of the show. Players start regulating themselves, and it’s not good.”
Player unions and domestic leagues have recently challenged Fifa in court over the lack of consultation regarding the expanded international calendar.
Premier League admits concern
Richard Masters, the Premier League chief executive, has echoed the concerns regarding the sustainability of player performance.
Masters acknowledged that the top flight cannot expect consistent quality if physical demands continue to rise.
“It’s a real problem. The players at the top level play an enormous number of football matches, and we cannot rely on them to keep performing at the level we want them to.”
Fifa has consistently maintained that it consulted fully with all stakeholders regarding the international match calendar, which is set until 2030.