Ally McCoist hits back at Man Utd and England player Marcus Rashford for complaining about the fixture schedule he and his sides endure.
The Premier League footballer called on the Football Association (FA) to reconsider their ‘mad calendar’ of football games, as players are “pushing themselves to absolute limits”.
McCoist, however, isn’t having ay of the 25-year old’s claims, saying that ‘nothing’ has changed in terms of scheduling.
McCoist believes that the footballers of today have it much easier than their predecessors, as they are paid more and have a ‘much bigger squad’.
“Marcus, get on with it!” 👊🙄
“You’re getting paid a lot more money. The squads are bigger nowadays, far bigger!”
Ally McCoist hits back at Marcus Rashford for complaining about his club schedule. 😳 pic.twitter.com/QTFX8dfCnc
— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) June 14, 2023
Speaking on talkSPORT, McCoist said: ‘You play games. Nothing has changed. There are a couple of Cups and a couple of internationals.
‘I get it and I guess the only difference is the intensity is probably higher, but we’ve played 30 league games for years. There’s always a league Cup, always an FA Cup.
‘Also the squads are bigger these days, far bigger. You get paid a lot more money so Marcus [Rashford], get on with it!’.
McCoist made his comments after hearing what Rashford had to say in criticising the schedule for 2022-2023. He pointed out that United played every midweek game in the second half to accommodate the World Cup.
Rashford explained that players would continue to push their limits and demanded more rest breaks to recover.
The England star said: ‘To be honest, that is evident (more breaks are needed). It is mad that we are playing at club level against teams playing one game a week and we are playing three a week from November until we get knocked out of the Europa League.
‘It is difficult and we are used to it but I don’t think it’s right. I am not the one who has to have the answers. If one team is playing 60 games a season and another is playing 38 there has to be some time to recover for the team playing 20 extra games.’
When discussing the schedule for the 2023-2024 campaign – which will be released on Thursday – Rashford said: ‘The players are going to push ourselves to the absolute limits. It is nothing new, it is not a complaint or a dig, I am just giving my honest opinion that I don’t think it is correct.
‘We need to be given more time to recover between different games and at different stages of the season, as well. I don’t think it is down to the players, we shouldn’t have to speak out about something we’re not in control of. We’re not going to make the final decision.’
🎙 “It’s mad that we’re playing teams that play once a week and we’re playing three a week from November”
Ahead of England’s Euro qualifiers, Marcus Rashford believes change is needed to help give players a prolonged rest between fixtures ⬇ pic.twitter.com/SAqtJ6TUDh
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) June 14, 2023
Rashford has recently joined Gareth Southgate’s England squad ready for their Euro qualifiers against Malta and North Macedonia.
Harry Maguire, despite a season of inconsistency at club level, was also seen arriving with Man Utd teammate Luke Shaw.
After winning the Champions League, the Three Lions coach plans to rest Manchester City players against Malta, no surprise either considering they were partying on Monday night.
England will take on Malta this Saturday, before hosting North Macedonia the following day in the Euro 2024 qualifiers.
The Three Lions kick started their qualifying campaign by beating Italy 2-1. Southgate’s team then defeated Ukraine at Wembley by 2-0 a few days after that, and they are now top of the Group C standings with six points.
Here’s what fans said as Ally McCoist hits back at Marcus Rashford for complaining about the fixture schedule…
@thefootballfly: He could always leave and go get a 9-5 in an office or go work on a building site if the schedule is too tough for him.
@majic8lsnufc: Well said ally, easy excuse, imagine if some of these footballers actually had to work for a living, poor souls would be knackered
@Enanmix: Pay as you play contracts for every player and let’s see how many games they are fit for and ready to play. Absolute joke the money they earn at the top level! Lower leagues play more games and earn a fraction of his money.
@brad689908: It’s mad how I’ve not heard City players complain with the amount of games they’ve played. They also looked like they could be arsed running in the final aswel
@Cook209Martin: Meanwhile these clubs who play the twenty extra games a season go abroad at any opportunity to play friendlies for cash ? Not hearing any complaints about them .
@denshy10: So he wants 300k a week to play 1 game per week!!
@Jonny_Snaith: Agree the schedule could be changed for Internationals, but playing extra games at club level is a privilege and a sign of success. Go sign for a bottom half team and play 40/41 games a season if you hate it that much.
@richbham123: That’s what squads are for 🤷🏻♂️ tennis players play everyday 2/3 hours & sometimes 4 hours
@DK_NUFC: Man earning £10m a year moans he has to kick a ball about a few times a week..
@raarrl: 3 a week. So in any 4 week period they play 12 times. Don’t think so.
@ryechu: If the premier league is 38 games then you could have it done in under 13 weeks at that rate. 39 weeks left for other comps and holidays. Don’t seem that ‘mad’ to me
@kenny12ross: You can’t count a weekend and then the next weekend and say you are playing 3 games a week. All teams play one weekend then the next.
@SamualT3wl3y: Bin international football for a start & if you’re not happy with extra game like CL or FA Cup, don’t compete then. Stop Crying
@thomasyeowart: It’s 2 games a week….it’s very rarely 3….if ever. Most other people work 5 days a week….it’s your job get on with it.
@DonStevie1: 3 games a week lol all the top facilities you have too recover & you hardly train when you play 3 games a week while getting paid out this world such a hard life being a top level footballer 😅😂
@mattd1981: Would I be moaning is I was earning £200k a week for playing a sport I love 3 times a week? Absolutely not. Perhaps they need to live in the real world for 1 month. Try working a 8-5:30 for less money in a month then they earn an hour.
@StuartSmck1: Aye, must be knackered eh. What a 🔔 end.
@shane7conran: He’s seems to be resting most weeks 🙄
@AaronSkeggs: Try going to work 5 days a week and earning in a year what you do a day.
@chriscox7: Run down your contract and go to a team that plays once a week then! You will need to take a pay cut and probably lose a sponsor or 2 but you can then rest and be happy. Silly me that won’t happen will it. #stopcomplaining
@jakehalliday15: you’re literally playing malta
@DanLang12: Kids are going Hungry and he is moaning about playing 56 games why getting paid £350K a week 👀
@ryjavfc: There’s loads of people out there who would change positions with you. It must be such a hard life to do your job 3 times a week. On over 200 grand a week too. Must be so hard.
@GaryMcG1888: Try doing a 12 hour shift 5 times a week. You’ll know what exhausted is
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