Part-time club get on without moaning at playing NINE matches in one month

Part-time club Enfield Town get on without moaning at playing NINE matches in one month whilst players also have a second job too.

A lot is being made of the backlog of games top flight clubs are having to play in recent weeks, but it’s got nothing on the amount impacting Enfield Town’s season while this is just the norm, if not worse for teams their level.

It shows challenge facing non league teams, with the Premier League not even coming close to having an idea of hectic a schedule can get.

An article published by Enfield Dispatch brilliantly spoke on this topic, saying: “Unlike full-time professional players, those at Enfield’s level have jobs outside the game on which they rely for their livelihoods. The pressure of working five days a week, then turning up for training and playing matches, is easily underestimated. Throw in the spread of Covid-19 – the club suffered a swathe of absentees in December’s FA Trophy defeat against Eastleigh – and you get some idea of how well-laid plans can suddenly collapse.

“The Towners’ arduous January programme includes no fewer than nine league games. It’s a tall order for players and staff as the team strives to remain in the play-off places.”

“We need to try and keep everyone fit and available,” manager Andy Leese told a podcast recently. “Somehow we’re going have to find times to train. We’re going to need to suck up all our resources and energy. We tried to get a couple of fixtures nudged into February, but there’s a rule that says you have to re-arrange fixtures within so many days.”

“Life can be very tough with games coming relentlessly on Saturdays and midweek,” Chairman Paul Reed told the Dispatch. “The players need to have understanding employers and families to be able to ensure they are available for all matches, as well as Thursday training.

“The league are in a tough situation as I’m sure they are keen to finally have a completed season at the third time of asking. However, they also need to protect players and volunteers from unnecessary Covid risks.

“We will support our players the best we can and I’m sure Andy and the management team will have a keen eye on the workload of each player. We may need to rotate the squad to ensure we keep everyone fit and well.”

ENFIELD TOWN’S JANUARY MATCHES

01/01/2022 – Enfield Town 4-0 Potters Bar Town
03/01/2022 – Cray Wanderers 4-4 Enfield Town
08/01/2022 – Enfield Town vs Lewes – 3:00pm
11/01/2022 – Horsham vs Enfield Town – 7:45pm
15/01/2022 – Haringey Borough vs Enfield Town – 3:00pm
18/01/2022 – Enfield Town vs Bowers & Pitsea – 7:45pm
22/01/2022 – Kingstonian vs Enfield Town – 3:00pm
25/01/2022 – Enfield Town vs Carshalton Athletic – 7:45pm
29/01/2022 – Enfield Town vs Margate – 3:00pm

Former footballer turned pundit Danny Murphy spoke some sense for once last week, saying the moaning about fixture congestion in top flight needs to stop and for teams to get on with it.

Managers are giving players an excuse to miss games by whingeing about tiredness… with top teams having more than enough depth to cope with fatigue.

He wrote for the Daily Mail: “I’ve been disappointed to hear the amount of whingeing about fixture congestion, particularly from Premier League managers.

“They wouldn’t earn the big money without TV rights being sold around the world, so they can’t have it both ways. I accept Covid is a factor — and there are some genuine cases of teams being unable to fulfil commitments — but a lot of the arguments I’m hearing from Thomas Tuchel, Jurgen Klopp and others don’t wash.

“If players were asked if they wanted to play over Christmas, I’m sure the vast majority would say ‘yes’. Dealing with the current situation positively would be more productive than clubs moaning.

“My Liverpool side played 63 games in 2001, winning three cup competitions, and one of the reasons for our success is that Gerard Houllier presented it as a challenge rather than a negative.

“Moving into 2022, my advice for managers would be to stop giving their players an excuse by frequently talking about fatigue and tiredness. The top teams have strong squads packed with international players. If you’re missing a few, use the ones available and jump over the hurdle.

“We saw last week how Southampton battled with 10 men to draw with Spurs a few days after winning at West Ham, while Leicester beat Liverpool having just visited Manchester City. It proved that a tough run of games doesn’t have to break your spirit, creativity and concentration.

“I earned good money as a player and realised I was benefiting from the high global demand for English football. I recognised my part of the bargain was turning up and performing regardless of when and where the next match took place.

“At one stage, I played 119 games in two seasons but it never once occurred to me that I should demand a rest.

“I feel sorry for clubs who have genuinely needed games to be postponed because there is a suspicion others have tried to jump on the bandwagon. The request by Crystal Palace to have their game at Spurs called off was strange as they ended up making only one change from their previous match.

“It feels like the arguments about Covid and our traditional Christmas fixture list are being blurred with this used as a reason to try to permanently remove a fixture from the holiday programme. Players will feel leggy after so many games in a short period but it’s not as though this happens every month.

“Most managers have criticised the calendar, so it was refreshing to hear David Moyes say he was looking forward to the fixtures.

“As a Liverpool fan, it was interesting to see they had last weekend off against Leeds while Leicester were mixing it with Manchester City. The player welfare argument would suggest a rested Liverpool would have the advantage at the King Power Stadium. But it was Leicester who won by digging deep and producing a brilliant performance.

“I’m afraid the cries of ‘too many matches’ doesn’t sit well with me. The statistics indicate players aren’t covering more distance than a decade ago and since then we’ve cancelled cup replays.

“So show a bit of resilience and unless you genuinely can’t field a team due to Covid, get on with it.”

Part-time club Enfield get on without moaning at playing NINE matches in one month, and this was pointed out online…

@craig_winn: Oh don’t be saying that to a bunch of pre madonna self entitled millionaires….. they’ll ignore you for talking sense!!

@SegaMakiza: So because Enfield Town are playing 9 games in a month, Premier League managers shouldn’t “moan” about busy schedule? Nonsensical argument.

@NJdelerium: They all have the right to moan. It’s just a bad look when the managers with the most resources are the ones doing the moaning, while the ones with the least look ahead at the schedule, accept it without bothering the rest of us and get the games played without any fuss.

@OneRedRam: I don’t think Premier League Players should be moaning, it’s up to their multi billionaire employers to properly consider the health and care of their staff. The many games (3 in a week 🙄) over Xmas brings in the money that clubs need. 50+ players in each squad, rotate and play

The Premier League managers moaning about the unforgiving playing schedule might want to take a quick look at @ETFCOfficial‘s list of @IsthmianLeague Premier Division fixtures in January. Part-Time players playing 9 games in a month! #NonLeague pic.twitter.com/GKHvfXsiHd

— (Barry) @thecoldend ⚽️ (@thecoldend) December 27, 2021