Articles

Brendan Rodgers is right about a “12 month campaign.” Celtic must prepare for that future.

|
Image for Brendan Rodgers is right about a “12 month campaign.” Celtic must prepare for that future.

As we emerge from the international break, having discussed every subject short of Celtic’s matches, it’s both invigorating and daunting to contemplate that for the next month, we’ll be playing a game every three days on average.

There will be little time to ponder the other pressing issues in football. If we’re not coming out of a game and discussing the related topics, we’ll be heading into another one.

That said, blogs like this will continue to explore issues concerning other clubs and the broader landscape of the game. However, the team—and the manager—will be stretched thin. When he recently spoke about football becoming a “12-month game,” his comments resonated as both illuminating and perceptive. Indeed, club football is becoming a year-round commitment.

Rodgers clearly feels that there’s unstoppable momentum towards it, and he doesn’t appear pleased about it. The players aren’t happy either; numerous players in various leagues are voicing their concerns regarding the increasing demands placed on their bodies. At some point, there will be a breaking point. By then, we could be deep in the weeds.

I already believe players don’t get enough rest during the summer, with tight schedules compounded by the increasing demands of international football. This makes it more likely for clubs to lose players to international competitions when they should be recuperating from long and arduous campaigns.

As these campaigns grow longer and more gruelling, we will increasingly encounter challenging situations where players are pushed to their limits—and sometimes beyond. This is where I, along with many players and managers, take issue with the current setup.

The expansion of European competitions only exacerbates the situation. Rodgers is clearly contemplating the impact of not just two extra games in the Groups, but the possibility of more in qualifiers thereafter. If we get fortunate with a draw, there could be even more games looming on the horizon.

From next season, we’ll need to play a qualifier just to enter the Champions League group stages, resulting in a shorter summer and less recovery time for the team. The following season, we may face as many as three qualifying games to reach the Champions League group stages—six games in addition to the eight required once we’re there, plus potential extra matches if we advance.

Sure, the financial rewards are appealing; after all, that’s the reason behind all these matches. However, the risk of player breakdown looms large, threatening serious long-term consequences for those competing in so many matches within such a compressed timeframe.

It’s difficult to envision how we can pile more games onto an already congested fixture list. If it comes to the crunch and we must play three qualifying rounds just to reach the Champions League groups, that will consume our entire summer preparation. Suddenly, everything is geared towards that, with players facing at least six fixtures before the campaign properly kicks off. Pre-season tours will be unfeasible, forcing us to start earlier just to ensure players are match-ready. This situation demands an even bigger squad.

If Rodgers and Paul Tisdale have discussed next season and the one after, they will have undoubtedly considered the need for a squad capable of handling such a demanding schedule. In the here and now, the current makeup of the squad will prove crucial. Rotation isn’t merely a discussion point; it’s a necessity. Key players, such as Callum McGregor, cannot be expected to play ten games in 27 days. That’s asking for injuries and burnout later in the campaign.

It’s essential, therefore, that we prepare for this as part of our season planning and in our recruitment strategies. I don’t think we’ve done enough to secure ourselves on the flanks, and I believe we need a third-choice striker and a permanent solution at left-back. We require a squad that can withstand these demands.

Prior to the Falkirk game, I mentioned that we could field an entirely different starting XI and still expect to win comfortably. I had a little more faith in the team than was fully justified, as we had to bring on substitutes late in the game to secure the victory.

Nevertheless, I still believe we possess the overall strength and depth to navigate these demanding periods, albeit not comfortably or easily. The boss will be cautious about making seven or eight changes in the future, but rotation is now inevitable. This is the point in the season where the necessity of rotation becomes glaringly evident.

I previously wrote about Ralston being a good soldier, and I have no doubt that when called upon, he’ll step up. He’s not the only one who will need to. This squad is going to be tested to the max over the next month. November and December are always critical points in the campaign, and this year will be no exception. Given the number of games ahead, we will increasingly rely on a large squad.

What encourages me is that we have that luxury, especially when compared to our rivals. Their squad depth is considerably weaker, which might even give Aberdeen an advantage as they won’t have the pressure of playing multiple European games alongside a domestic campaign. While I don’t think that will be enough to propel them past us in the league or the League Cup semi-final, they do have an opportunity to gain ground on the club across town over the next two months.

Burnout poses a clear and present danger for them, and I can’t see how they’ll manage through this intense schedule without serious damage to their hopes. I genuinely believe that if Clemont makes it to January, he’ll be a fortunate man.

That said, our preparations and careful management of our squad remain imperative. I can’t recall ever experiencing a period in which we’re set to play a game every three days on average for a solid month. This is hugely taxing for any team.

This situation isn’t going away. It represents the future of football. Even if common sense prevails and authorities decide to pause any further additions to an already congested fixture list, it won’t solve the immediate problem. There’s no indication that we’ll roll back the current schedule; in fact, the future seems likely to involve more games, not fewer. Hence, Rodgers’ fears about a 12-month football cycle are increasingly likely to become our reality.

Everyone at the club must take this seriously and start preparing for the future. While there will be benefits, there are also significant risks.

I believe we are well-positioned to navigate these challenges, provided we have a solid plan in place. We best get busy establishing that plan.

If you want to post a comment on the site you now have to register. Hopefully this will speed up the process of getting comments up. So please bear with us on this.

Share this article

1 comment

  • Clachnacuddin and the Hoops says:

    I can remember truly hating a three month close season forty years ago for all ma worth…

    Nowadays even with no games to navigate for qualifying for The Champions League I was glad of the break from domestic football after the rigours of a dramatic campaign last season (it does of course help when you’ve just won a double, that’s for sure) !

    Then there was Euro 2024 where I only watched the Scotland games and wanted England out, but the rest or the time was spent out fishing or on nature spins or lounging on a beech trying to grab the very odd hour of sun that there was…

    Back refreshed in August, enjoying The Sevco Huns trials and tribulations and comedy gold and eyeing up a delicious Celtic treble… AGAIN !!!

Comments are closed.

×